Crimes Act 1961

Schedule 1AA: Transitional, savings, and related provisions

You could also call this:

"Rules to help when laws change"

When you look at the Crimes Act 1961, there are some extra rules that help with the change to new laws. These rules are called transitional, savings, and related provisions. They are part of the law because of section 4A.

You need to understand what "repeal date" means. It is the date when the Crimes Amendment Act 2019 starts. If something happened before this date, some old rules still apply. For example, if someone did something to help their spouse or civil union partner before the repeal date, they might still be protected from being prosecuted.

If someone did something that caused another person's death before the repeal date, they might still be protected from being prosecuted, even if the death happened more than a year and a day later. This is because of rules in section 71(2) and section 162 that still apply after the repeal date.

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This page was last updated on 4 August 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS170495.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal law

415: Inconsistency with other enactment or rule of law, or

"These rules are stronger than other rules if they don't match up"

Schedule 1: Carrying out of sentence of death, or

"What the old law said about carrying out a death sentence"

1AATransitional, savings, and related provisions Empowered by s 4A

1Provisions relating to Crimes Amendment Act 2019

1Immunity for spouses and civil union partners from prosecution as accessory after the fact

For the purpose of this clause, repeal date means the date on which the Crimes Amendment Act 2019 comes into force.
The immunity in section 71(2) continues to apply on and after the repeal date if an act to which section 71(1) would otherwise apply was done before the repeal date.

2Limitation on prosecution for killing person if period between cause of death and death is more than a year and a day

For the purpose of this clause, repeal date means the date on which the Crimes Amendment Act 2019 comes into force.
The limitation on prosecution in section 162 continues to apply on and after the repeal date if an act to which section 162 applies is done, or an omission to which section 162 applies occurs, before the repeal date (irrespective of when the resulting death occurs).