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Parliament Act 2025

Parliamentary privilege - Protected communication of proceedings in Parliament - Qualified immunity

26: Communications protected by qualified immunity

You could also call this:

"Sharing info about Parliament is protected by law"

Illustration for Parliament Act 2025

You are protected when you share certain information about Parliament. This includes sharing a fair and accurate report of what happens in Parliament. You can also share a fair and accurate extract from, or summary of, a document that is officially shared by the House of Representatives or a committee. You can share a record or transcript of what happens in Parliament, or part of a report about those proceedings. This is what is meant by a "report" of Parliament proceedings. Some laws from 2014, such as ss 19 and 20, are similar to this rule. You are also protected if you share information about Parliament proceedings after some time has passed, as long as you are not sharing it on behalf of the House of Representatives or a committee.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS804158.

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Part 2Parliamentary privilege
Protected communication of proceedings in Parliament: Qualified immunity

26Communications protected by qualified immunity

  1. The following communications are protected by qualified immunity:

  2. the communication of a fair and accurate report of proceedings in Parliament:
    1. the communication of a fair and accurate extract from, or summary of,—
      1. a document communicated under the authority of the House of Representatives or a committee; or
        1. a document relating to proceedings in Parliament, and communicated under the authority of the House of Representatives, a committee, or legislation:
        2. the delayed communication to the public of proceedings in Parliament if the communication is not made under the authority of the House of Representatives or a committee.

          1. In subsection (1)(a), report includes—

          2. a record or transcript of proceedings in Parliament; and
            1. part of a report of those proceedings.

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