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Freedom Camping Act 2011

Enforcement, miscellaneous, and transitional provisions - Offences, defences, and penalties - Infringement offences

20D: Strict liability offences

You could also call this:

“You can be punished for camping in the wrong place even if you didn't mean to do it”

When someone is accused of an infringement offence, the people prosecuting them don’t need to prove that you did it on purpose or that you were careless. They also don’t need to show that you knew the offence happened in an area controlled by the local council, on conservation land, or on land managed by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). This means you can still be held responsible for the offence even if you didn’t mean to do it or didn’t know exactly where you were.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS855017.

Topics:
Housing and property > Land use
Environment and resources > Conservation
Government and voting > Local councils
Crime and justice > Criminal law
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“Punishments for breaking freedom camping rules”

Part 3 Enforcement, miscellaneous, and transitional provisions
Offences, defences, and penalties: Infringement offences

20DStrict liability offences

  1. In prosecuting an infringement offence, the prosecution does not need to prove that the defendant—

  2. intentionally or recklessly committed the offence; or
    1. knew that the offence occurred in, or in relation to, a local authority area, conservation land, or LINZ land.

      Notes
      • Section 20D: inserted, on , by section 18 of the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 (2023 No 24).