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Rates Rebate Act 1973

14: Offences

You could also call this:

"Breaking the rules about rates rebates can lead to fines or imprisonment"

Illustration for Rates Rebate Act 1973

If you make a false statement to get a rates rebate for yourself or someone else, you commit an offence. You also commit an offence if you try to mislead someone who is administering this Act. You can commit an offence in other ways, such as refusing to comply with a requirement under section 11, or giving a false answer to a question. If you are found guilty of an offence, you can be imprisoned for up to 12 months, or fined up to $500, or both.

If you commit an offence, the time limit for charging you with that offence ends 12 months after the facts of the case are known to an officer of the Department of Internal Affairs. This time limit applies even if section 25 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 says something different. You will be tried in the District Court if you are charged with an offence under this Act.

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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=DLM409739.

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Crime and justice > Criminal lawMoney and consumer rights > TaxesGovernment and voting > Local councils
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14Offences

  1. Every person commits an offence who,—

  2. for the purpose of obtaining any rates rebate under this Act, for himself or for any other person, makes any statement or verification knowing it to be false in any particular, or wilfully misleads or attempts to mislead any person concerned in the administration of this Act or any other person whatsoever; or
    1. refuses or fails to comply with any requirement under section 11, or refuses or fails to answer any question put to him pursuant to that section, or knowingly gives any false or misleading answer to any such question.

      1. Every person who commits an offence against this Act is liable on conviction before a District Court Judge to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding $500, or to both.

      2. Despite anything to the contrary in section 25 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011, the limitation period in respect of an offence against this Act ends on the date that is 12 months after the date on which the facts alleged in the charging document are brought to the knowledge of any officer of the Department of Internal Affairs concerned in the administration of this Act.

      Notes
      • Section 14(1): amended, on , by section 4(1)(a) of the Rates Rebate Amendment Act 1976 (1976 No 32).
      • Section 14(1)(a): amended, on , by section 10 of the Rates Rebate (Statutory Declarations) Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 44).
      • Section 14(1)(a): amended, on , by section 4(1)(b) of the Rates Rebate Amendment Act 1976 (1976 No 32).
      • Section 14(2): replaced, on , by section 4(2) of the Rates Rebate Amendment Act 1976 (1976 No 32).
      • Section 14(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
      • Section 14(2): amended, on , pursuant to section 18(2) of the District Courts Amendment Act 1979 (1979 No 125).
      • Section 14(3): replaced, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).