New Zealand Acts

CHARITIES ACT 2005 - SECT 58S

58S Contempt of Authority

1 A person commits an offence if the person—

a) wilfully insults or obstructs an Authority or any witness or officer of an Authority during a sitting of the Authority or while the Authority, a witness, or an officer is going to, or returning from, a sitting of the Authority; or

b) wilfully insults or obstructs any person in attendance at a sitting of an Authority; or

c) wilfully interrupts, or otherwise misbehaves at, a sitting of an Authority; or

d) wilfully and without lawful excuse disobeys any order or direction of an Authority in the course of the hearing of any proceedings.

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

3 An Authority may order the exclusion from a sitting of that Authority of any person whose behaviour, in the opinion of the Authority, constitutes an offence against subsection (1), whether or not the person is charged with the offence, and any officer of the Authority or constable may take any steps that are reasonably necessary to enforce the exclusion.

History: Section 58S: inserted, on 5 July 2024, by section 28 of the Charities Amendment Act 2023 (2023 No 34).