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Maritime Transport Act 1994

General offences and provisions in relation to offences and appeals under this Act - General offences

404: Obstruction of persons duly authorised by Director

You could also call this:

"Don't stop people doing their maritime jobs if they show they are allowed to"

If you stop or hinder someone who is doing their job under the Maritime Transport Act 1994, you are committing an offence. This includes people who work for the Authority, the Director, or anyone else who has been given authority by the Authority or the Director. You must not obstruct, impede, delay, hinder, or deceive them while they are doing their job.

When someone is doing their job, they must show you their authority if you ask them to. This means they need to prove they have the right to be doing what they are doing. If they can't show you their authority, then the rules about not obstructing them don't apply.

You can find more information about this rule by looking at s 50 of a previous law, which is similar to this one.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM338361.

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Part 28General offences and provisions in relation to offences and appeals under this Act
General offences

404Obstruction of persons duly authorised by Director

  1. Every person commits an offence who obstructs, impedes, delays, hinders, or deceives or causes to be obstructed, impeded, delayed, hindered, or deceived, the Authority, its employees, the Director, or any other person who is duly authorised by the Authority or the Director, while the Authority, employee, Director, or other person is acting in the performance or exercise of any functions, duties, or powers conferred on it or him or her by or under this Act or any rules made under this Act.

  2. Subsection (1) shall apply only where the person obstructed or impeded produces evidence of his or her authority.

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