Think police are the only agency who can take you to court?
Think again.
As a woman who recently brought several dogs into Tongariro National Park found out, that’s not the case.
The Department of Conservation prosecutes breaches of conservation law and they fined her fined $400 for the illegal trip, after which she posted photos online – one of them posing with a pup beside a “no dogs” sign.
The department is one of more than 40 agencies or organisations have the ability to enforce laws and prosecute people who do not follow them.
While police are responsible for the vast majority of prosecutions in New Zealand, many other bodies have enforcement powers given to them by legislation.
Government agencies like Inland Revenue target breaches of tax obligations, such as the Auckland man recently convicted and sentenced for aiding and abetting his company’s use of electronic tools to evade tax assessments and payment.
The Ministry for Primary Industries prosecutes animal welfare and fisheries offences. In one case, a Queenstown hotel was fined $22,000 for the illegal sale of crayfish caught recreationally as part of a luxury guest experience. Guests were flown by helicopter over the Southern Alps to a remote West Coast beach, where a driver collected live crayfish before returning to cook them at the hotel.
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Independent Crown entities with specialist enforcement roles can also lay charges. The Civil Aviation Authority prosecuted an unlicensed pilot in Manawatū last year for flying an aircraft deemed not airworthy in a manner that caused unnecessary danger.
Maritime NZ handles incidents that occur at sea, such as charging Kiwirail for alleged safety failures when the Interislander ferry Aratere ran aground in June last year.
The Commerce Commission enforces legislation related to competition, fair trading and consumer credit.
It filed charges against retailer Noel Leeming for alleged breaches of the Fair Trading Act, describing its “Price Promise” commitment as misleading.
Local, city and regional councils can also prosecute, while some organisations, such as the SPCA, have their own inspectors.
So, it’s not just the police you need to stay on the right side of if you want to stay out of the courts.
Full list of prosecuting agencies
- Accident Compensation Corporation
- Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
- Commerce Commission
- Department of Corrections
- New Zealand Customs Service
- Department of Internal Affairs
- Department of Conservation
- Electricity Authority
- Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
- Environmental Protection Authority
- Earthquake Commission
- Fire and Emergency New Zealand
- Financial Markets Authority
- Ministry of Health
- Heritage New Zealand
- Health Quality and Safety Commission
- Human Rights Commission
- Inland Revenue Department
- Homes and Communities
- Land Information New Zealand
- Maritime New Zealand
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
- Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Ministry for the Environment
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry for Primary Industries
- Ministry of Social Development
- New Zealand Defence Force
- New Zealand Qualifications Authority
- New Zealand Transport Agency
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner
- The Outdoor Access Commission
- New Zealand Police
- Real Estate Agents Authority
- Serious Fraud Office
- Statistics New Zealand
- Takeovers Panel
- Water Services Regulator
- Health NZ
- Tertiary Education Commission
- Ministry of Transport
- Worksafe New Zealand
- Local, city, and regional councils