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Parliament Act 2025

Parliamentary security - Powers and duties of parliamentary security officers - Search power and related duty

169: Power to ask to search

You could also call this:

"Parliamentary security officers can ask to search you or your belongings when you're at Parliament"

Illustration for Parliament Act 2025

You can be asked to let a parliamentary security officer search you when you want to enter or are in the parliamentary precincts. They can ask to search you using a scanner or other electronic device with no physical contact. They can also ask to examine your clothes if they have a good reason. You can also be asked to let them search any property you have with you, like a bag or a car. They can use a scanner or other electronic device to search your property with little physical contact. If they have a good reason, they can search your property more thoroughly. If you do not agree to a search, or if you agree and then change your mind, a parliamentary security officer can stop you from entering or remove you from the parliamentary precincts. When a search involves touching your clothes, it must be done by an officer of the same sex as you, unless you ask for an officer of a different sex. You can find more information by looking at the Public Works Act 1981 and the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 for similar laws.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS918272.

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Part 7Parliamentary security
Powers and duties of parliamentary security officers: Search power and related duty

169Power to ask to search

  1. A parliamentary security officer may ask any person who wants to enter, or is in, the parliamentary precincts to consent to 1 or more of the following kinds of searches:

  2. in respect of the person,—
    1. a search of the person that uses only a scanner or other electronic screening device and that involves no physical contact with the person being searched:
      1. if the officer has reasonable grounds for asking for such a search, an external examination of the person’s clothes going only as far as is necessary to detect items carried on the person:
      2. in respect of any property in the person’s possession or control, including a motor vehicle,—
        1. a search of the property that uses only a scanner or other electronic screening device and that involves no more than incidental physical contact with the property being searched:
          1. if the officer has reasonable grounds for asking for such a search, a search of the property.

          2. A search under subsection (1)(a)(ii) must be carried out by—

          3. a parliamentary security officer who is of the same sex as the person being searched; or
            1. if the person being searched reasonably requests, an officer of a different sex.

              1. A parliamentary security officer may deny a person entry to, or remove a person from, the parliamentary precincts if the person—

              2. does not consent to a search requested by the officer; or
                1. initially consents to a search requested by the officer but subsequently withdraws their consent before the search is finished.

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