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Freedom Camping Act 2011

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

20G: Offence to interfere with enforcement officer

You could also call this:

“It's against the law to bother or stop enforcement officers from doing their job”

You must not interfere with an enforcement officer who is doing their job under the Freedom Camping Act. It is against the law to stop an officer from doing their work, get in their way, or make their job harder. You can’t hurt, threaten, or scare an officer. You also can’t use rude or threatening words, or act in a way that might frighten the officer.

If you encourage someone else to do any of these things, you are also breaking the law. If you do any of these things, or if you tell someone else to do them, you could be found guilty of a crime. If that happens, you might have to pay a fine of up to $5,000.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS855028.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
Crime and justice > Police and safety
Government and voting > Local councils
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20F: Offence to discharge certain substances, or

“It's against the law to release harmful or unpleasant substances in certain public areas”

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21: Strict liability offences, or

“This section about special types of rule-breaking in camping has been removed from the law”

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

20GOffence to interfere with enforcement officer

  1. A person commits an offence if, while an enforcement officer is carrying out the officer’s functions and duties under this Act, the person—

  2. intentionally prevents the officer from carrying out those functions and duties; or
    1. obstructs or impedes the officer; or
      1. assaults, threatens, or intimidates the officer; or
        1. uses language that is abusive or threatening to the officer; or
          1. behaves in a threatening manner towards the officer.

            1. A person who incites any other person to do any act referred to in subsection (1) commits an offence.

            2. A person who commits an offence against subsection (1) or (2) is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.

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