Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against the person - Duties tending to the preservation of life

151: Duty to provide necessaries and protect from injury

You could also call this:

“People who look after adults who can't care for themselves must give them what they need and keep them safe.”

You have a legal duty if you are actually caring for or in charge of a vulnerable adult who can’t provide for themselves. This duty means you must do two things:

You must provide the vulnerable adult with necessaries. Necessaries are the basic things they need to live.

You must take reasonable steps to protect the vulnerable adult from getting hurt.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329292.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
Family and relationships > Children and parenting
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150A: Standard of care applicable to persons under legal duties or performing unlawful acts, or

“When someone has a legal duty or does something illegal, they're only in trouble if they really mess up compared to what a normal person would do.”

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152: Duty of parent or guardian to provide necessaries and protect from injury, or

“Parents and guardians must give kids what they need and keep them safe from harm.”

Part 8 Crimes against the person
Duties tending to the preservation of life

151Duty to provide necessaries and protect from injury

  1. Every one who has actual care or charge of a person who is a vulnerable adult and who is unable to provide himself or herself with necessaries is under a legal duty—

  2. to provide that person with necessaries; and
    1. to take reasonable steps to protect that person from injury.

      Notes
      • Section 151: replaced, on , by section 6 of the Crimes Amendment Act (No 3) 2011 (2011 No 79).