Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698836753797.pdf (New Zealand)
Harassment Act 1997 Public Act Date of assent 1997 No 92 1 December 1997 Contents Title Short Title and commencement Part 1 Preliminary provisions Interpretation Interpretation Meaning of harassment Meaning of speciﬁed act Meaning of act done to person Object Object Crown bound Act to bind the Crown Part 2 Criminal harassment Criminal harassment Part 3 Civil harassment Applications Application for restraining order Contents of application Application by minors Application against minors Applications on behalf of certain persons Applicant’s involvement in proceedings where representative appointed Applications for restraining order to be on notice Page 3 3 3 5 6 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 10 11 12 12 1 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Power to make restraining order Defence to prove that speciﬁed acts done for lawful purpose Protection from respondent’s associates Conditions of restraining orders Standard conditions of restraining orders Court may impose special conditions Duration, variation, and discharge of restraining orders Duration of restraining order Power to vary restraining order Power to discharge restraining order Variation or discharge on behalf of minors, etc Enforcement of restraining orders 25 Offence to contravene restraining order Power to require person to supply name and address Power to require person to supply name and address Offence Police may release information to enable application for restraining order to be made Part 4 General provisions General provisions Standard of proof Admission of evidence Applications may be heard together Vexatious proceedings Copies of orders to be sent to Police Appeals Appeals to High Court Application of provisions relating to minors, etc Appeals to Court of Appeal Appeals to be heard as soon as practicable Effect of appeal Power to clear court and restrict publication of proceedings Power to clear court and restrict publication of proceedings Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 1 s 2 40 41 42 43 44 45 Application for renewal or review of order made under section 39 Contravention of orders made under section 39 Rules and regulations Rules of court Regulations Amendments to other enactments Amendment to Summary Proceedings Act 1957 Amendment to Electoral Act 1993 Saving 46 Other remedies for harassment not limited or affected 25 25 26 28 28 28 28 An Act to provide criminal and civil remedies in respect of harassment BE IT ENACTED by the Parliament of New Zealand as follows: 1 (1) (2) (3) 2 (1) Short Title and commencement This Act may be cited as the Harassment Act 1997.
This Act (other than Part 3) comes into force on 1 January 1998.

Part 3 comes into force on 1 May 1998.
Part 1 Preliminary provisions Interpretation Interpretation In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— Applicant means— (a) A person who applies for an order under this Act on his or her own behalf: The person on whose behalf an application for an order is made under section 11 or section 13: (b) 3 Part 1 s 2 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Associated respondent means a person against whom a re­ straining order applies by virtue of a direction made under sec­ tion 18 Child[Repealed] child: this deﬁnition was repealed, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Rela­ tionships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3).
[Repealed] Court means a District Court; and includes a District Court Judge Encourage includes to incite, counsel, or procure Family member, in relation to a person, means,— (a) Any other person who is or has been related to the per­ son by blood, marriage, civil union, de facto relation­ ship, or adoption: (b) Any other person who is a member of the person’s whanau or other culturally recognised family group: (c) Family member: paragraph (a) of this deﬁnition was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by inserting the words “, civil union, de facto relationship” after the word “marriage”.
Family member: paragraph (c) of this deﬁnition was repealed, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3).

Harassment has the meaning set out in section 3; and harass has a corresponding meaning Partner[Repealed] Partner: this deﬁnition was repealed, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Rela­ tionships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3).
[Repealed] Property, in relation to a person, means property (whether real or personal) that— (a) (b) The person owns; or The person does not own but— Uses or enjoys; or (i) Is available for the person’s use or enjoyment; or (ii) Is in the person’s care or custody; or (iii) Is at the person’s dwellinghouse: (iv) Registrar means the Registrar of a Court; and includes a Deputy Registrar of a Court 4 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 1 s 3 Representative,— (a) In relation to a minor aged 16 or under, means a guardian ad litem or next friend appointed, under rules of court, to take proceedings under this Act on behalf of that minor aged 16 or under: In relation to a person to whom section 13 applies, means a guardian ad litem appointed, under that sec­ tion, to take proceedings under this Act on behalf of that person: (b) Representative: paragraph (a) of this deﬁnition was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by substituting the words “minor aged 16 or under” for the word “child” in both places where it appears.
Respondent means the person against whom an application for a restraining order has been made under this Act; and in­ cludes a person (other than an associated respondent) against whom a restraining order is made under this Act Restraining order means an order made under section 16 Safety, in relation to any person, includes that person’s mental well­being Special condition, in relation to a restraining order, means any condition of the order imposed under section 20 Speciﬁed act means one of the types of activity speciﬁed or described in section 4(1).
For the purposes of this Act, a person is in a family relationship with another person if the person— (a) Is a current or former spouse, civil union partner, or de facto partner of the other person; or Is a family member of the other person.

(b) Subsection (2)(a) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relation­ ships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by substituting the words “current or former spouse, civil union partner, or de facto partner” for the word “partner”.
Meaning of harassment For the purposes of this Act, a person harasses another person if he or she engages in a pattern of behaviour that is directed against that other person, being a pattern of behaviour that includes doing any speciﬁed act to the other person on at least 2 separate occasions within a period of 12 months.
5 (2) 3 (1) Part 1 s 4 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 To avoid any doubt,— (a) The speciﬁed acts required for the purposes of subsec­ tion (1) may be the same type of speciﬁed act on each separate occasion, or different types of speciﬁed acts: The speciﬁed acts need not be done to the same person on each separate occasion, as long as the pattern of be­ haviour is directed against the same person.
(b) Meaning of speciﬁed act For the purposes of this Act, a speciﬁed act, in relation to a person, means any of the following acts: (a) Watching, loitering near, or preventing or hindering ac­ cess to or from, that person’s place of residence, busi­ ness, employment, or any other place that the person frequents for any purpose: Following, stopping, or accosting that person: Entering, or interfering with, property in that person’s possession: (b) (c) (d) Making contact with that person (whether by telephone, (e) (f) correspondence, or in any other way): Giving offensive material to that person, or leaving it where it will be found by, given to, or brought to the attention of, that person: Acting in any other way— (i) That causes that person (person A) to fear for his or her safety; and That would cause a reasonable person in person A’s particular circumstances to fear for his or her safety.
(ii) To avoid any doubt, subsection (1)(f) includes the situation where— (a) (b) A person acts in a particular way; and The act is done in relation to a person (person B) in circumstances in which the act is to be regarded, in ac­ cordance with section 5(b), as done to another person (person A); and Acting in that way— (i) Causes person A to fear for his or her safety; and (c) (2) 4 (1) (2) 6 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 1 s 6 (3) 5 6 (1) (ii) Would cause a reasonable person in person A’s particular circumstances to fear for his or her safety,— whether or not acting in that way causes or is likely to cause person B to fear for person B’s safety.
Subsection (2) does not limit the generality of subsection (1)(f).

Meaning of act done to person An act is done to a person (person A), for the purposes of this Act, if that act is done— (a) (b) In relation to person A; or In relation to any other person (person B) with whom person A is in a family relationship, and the doing of the act is due, wholly or partly, to person A’s family relationship with person B.
Object Object The object of this Act is to provide greater protection to vic­ tims of harassment by— (a) Recognising that behaviour that may appear innocent or trivial when viewed in isolation may amount to harass­ ment when viewed in context; and Ensuring that there is adequate legal protection for all victims of harassment.
(b) (2) This Act aims to achieve its object by— (a) Making the most serious types of harassment criminal (b) offences: Empowering the Court to make orders to protect vic­ tims of harassment who are not covered by domestic violence legislation: Providing effective sanctions for breaches of the crim­ inal and civil law relating to harassment.
(3) Any court which, or any person who, exercises any power con­ ferred by or under this Act must be guided in the exercise of that power by the object speciﬁed in subsection (1).

(c) 7 Part 1 s 7 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Crown bound 7 Act to bind the Crown This Act binds the Crown.
Part 2 Criminal harassment Criminal harassment Every person commits an offence who harasses another person in any case where— (a) The ﬁrst­mentioned person intends that harassment to cause that other person to fear for— That other person’s safety; or (i) The safety of any person with whom that other (ii) person is in a family relationship; or (b) The ﬁrst­mentioned person knows that the harassment is likely to cause the other person, given his or her par­ ticular circumstances, to reasonably fear for— (i) (ii) That other person’s safety; or The safety of any person with whom that other person is in a family relationship.
Every person who commits an offence against this section is liable, on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.

Part 3 Civil harassment Applications Application for restraining order Subject to subsection (4), any person who is being or has been harassed by another person may apply to the Court for a re­ straining order in respect of that other person.
If the person who is eligible to apply for a restraining order is a minor under 16 years of age, the application must be made by a representative in accordance with section 11(2).
If the person who is eligible to apply for a restraining order is unable or unwilling, in the circumstances speciﬁed in section 8 (1) (2) 9 (1) (2) (3) 8 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 3 s 11 13(1)(b), to make the application personally, a representative appointed in accordance with section 13 may make an appli­ cation on that person’s behalf.
(4) A person who is or has been in a domestic relationship with another person may not apply under this Act for a restraining order in respect of that other person.

For the purposes of subsection (4), domestic relationship has the same meaning as it has in the Domestic Violence Act 1995.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 7 (5) Subsection (2) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by substituting the words “minor under 16 years of age” for the word “child”.

10 Contents of application Any application for a restraining order may seek a direction under section 18 that the order apply against a particular per­ son, being a person whom the respondent has encouraged or is encouraging to do any speciﬁed act to the applicant.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 8 11 (1) Application by minors Subject to subsections (2), (2A), and (4), a minor may make an application for a restraining order under this Act.

(2) A minor under 16 years of age must make the application for a restraining order by a representative in accordance with rules of court.

(2A) A minor aged 16 years may apply for a restraining order either on his or her own behalf under subsection (4), or by a repre­ sentative in accordance with rules of Court.
(3) Nothing in subsection (2) prevents a minor under the age of 17 on whose behalf an application for a restraining order is made by a representative from being heard in the proceedings; and where the minor under the age of 17 expresses views on the need for and outcome of the proceedings, the Court must take account of those views to the extent that it thinks ﬁt, having regard to the age and maturity of the minor under the age of 17.
Subject to section 13,— (4) 9 Part 3 s 12 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 (a) A minor aged 17 or over, must make the application for a restraining order on his or her own behalf, without a next friend or guardian ad litem, as if the minor were of full age; and (b) Orders may be made on the application, and enforced, as if the minor were of full age.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 9 Subsection (1) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by inserting the expression “, (2A),” after the expression “(2)”.

Subsection (2) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by substituting the words “minor under 16 years of age” for the word “child”.
Subsection (2A) was inserted, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3).

Subsection (3) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by substituting the words “minor under the age of 17” for the word “child”.

Subsection (4) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by omitting the words “who is or has been married, or who is”.
(2) Application against minors 12 (1) No application for a restraining order may be made against a minor under the age of 17 years, unless the minor is or has been married or in a civil union or de facto relationship.

The Court must not make a direction under section 18 that a restraining order apply against a minor under the age of 17 years, unless the minor is or has been married or in a civil union or de facto relationship.
To avoid any doubt,— (a) (3) An application for a restraining order may be made against a minor who is or has been married, or in a civil union or de facto relationship, or who is aged 17 or over, and orders may be made on the application and enforced, as if the minor were of full age: The Court may make a direction under section 18 that a restraining order apply against such a minor, as if the minor were of full age.
(b) Compare: 1995 No 86 s 10 10 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 3 s 13 Subsections (1) and (2) were amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Re­ lationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by substituting the words “minor under the age of 17 years, unless the minor is or has been mar­ ried or in a civil union or de facto relationship” for the word “child”.
Subsection (3)(a) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relation­ ships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by inserting the words “or in a civil union or de facto relationship,” after the word “married,”.
13 (1) Applications on behalf of certain persons This section applies where— (a) (b) A person aged 16 years or over is eligible to apply for a restraining order; and That person is unable or unwilling, whether because of physical incapacity or fear of harm or other sufﬁcient cause, to make the application personally.
(2) Where this section applies, the Court or a Registrar may, on an application without notice made by any person, appoint any person to be a representative of another person for the purpose of making and prosecuting, on behalf of that other person, an application for a restraining order.

(3) A person may not be appointed under this section to be a rep­ resentative unless that person is— (a) An adult person who is not under disability; or (b) A body of persons, whether corporate or unincorpor­ ated.
(4) If an application for the appointment of a representative is made under subsection (2), the Court or Registrar must make the appointment sought if the Court or, as the case requires, the Registrar is satisﬁed,— (a) That reasonable steps have been taken to ascertain the wishes of the person to whom the application relates in relation to the matter; and (b) Where the wishes of that person have been able to be ascertained,— (i) (ii) That the person does not object to the appoint­ ment; or That the person’s objection is not freely made; and Either,— (c) 11 Part 3 s 14 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 (i) Where the person to whom the application relates is unable to make the application for a restraining order personally, that it is in the best interests of that person to make the appointment; or (ii) Where that person is unwilling to make the ap­ plication for a restraining order personally, that it is appropriate to make the appointment; and That the proposed appointee,— (i) (ii) Consents in writing to the appointment; and If a natural person, is an adult who is not under disability; and That there is unlikely to be any conﬂict between the interests of the proposed appointee and the interests of the person in respect of whom the application is made.
(d) (e) Compare: 1995 No 86 s 12(1)­(3) Subsection (1)(a) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 7 Relation­ ships (Statutory References) Act 2005 (2005 No 3) by substituting the words “aged 16 years or over” for the words “(other than a child)”.
Applicant’s involvement in proceedings where representative appointed The fact that an application for a restraining order is made, on a person’s behalf, by a representative appointed under section 13 does not prevent the person on whose behalf the application is made from being heard in the proceedings.
If,— (a) A representative appointed under section 13 applies, on another person’s behalf, for a restraining order; and (b) At any time before the application is determined, the other person objects to the continuation of the proceed­ ings,— then, unless the Court is satisﬁed that the objection is not freely made, no further steps may be taken in the proceedings.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 12(4)­(5) Applications for restraining order to be on notice Every application for a restraining order must be made on no­ tice to— (a) The respondent; and 14 (1) (2) 15 12 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 3 s 17 (b) Every person in respect of whom a direction under sec­ tion 18 is sought— in accordance with rules of court.
16 (1) (2) (3) 17 Power to make restraining order Subject to section 17, the Court may make a restraining order if it is satisﬁed that— (a) The respondent has harassed, or is harassing, the appli­ cant; and The following requirements are met: (i) (b) The behaviour in respect of which the application is made causes the applicant distress, or threatens to cause the applicant distress; and That behaviour would cause distress, or would threaten to cause distress, to a reasonable person in the applicant’s particular circumstances; and In all the circumstances, the degree of distress caused or threatened by that behaviour justiﬁes the making of an order; and (ii) (iii) (c) The making of an order is necessary to protect the ap­ plicant from further harassment.
For the purposes of subsection (1)(a), a respondent who en­ courages another person to do a speciﬁed act to the applicant is regarded as having done that speciﬁed act personally.

To avoid any doubt, an order may be made under subsection (1) where the need for protection arises from the risk of the respondent doing, or encouraging another person to do, a spe­ ciﬁed act of a different type from the speciﬁed act found to have occurred for the purposes of paragraph (a) of that sub­ section.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 14 Defence to prove that speciﬁed acts done for lawful purpose A speciﬁed act cannot be relied on to establish harassment for the purposes of section 16(1)(a) if the respondent proves that the speciﬁed act was done for a lawful purpose.
13 Part 3 s 18 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 18 (1) Protection from respondent’s associates Subject to subsection (2), if the Court makes a restraining order against the respondent, the Court may direct that the order also apply against another person if the respondent is encouraging, or has encouraged, that other person to do any speciﬁed act to the applicant.
(2) No direction may be made under subsection (1) in respect of a person unless the Court is satisﬁed that— (a) (ii) The person is doing, or has done, a speciﬁed act to the applicant; and The following requirements are met: (i) The person’s behaviour causes the applicant dis­ tress, or threatens to cause the applicant distress; and That behaviour would cause distress, or would threaten to cause distress, to a reasonable person in the applicant’s particular circumstances; and In all the circumstances, the degree of distress caused or threatened by that behaviour justiﬁes the making of a direction under this section; and The making of a direction under this section is neces­ sary to protect the applicant from further harassment.
(iii) (b) (c) (3) A direction may be made under subsection (1) whether the per­ son in respect of whom the direction is sought did the speci­ ﬁed act to the applicant before or after a restraining order was made.

Sections 16(2), 16(3), and 17 apply, with the necessary modi­ ﬁcations, in respect of an application for a direction under sub­ section (1).
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 17 (4) Conditions of restraining orders Standard conditions of restraining orders It is a condition of every restraining order that, except as per­ mitted under any special condition of the restraining order, the respondent must not— (a) Do, or threaten to do, any speciﬁed act to the person for whose protection the order is made; or 19 (1) 14 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 3 s 21 (b) Encourage any person to do any speciﬁed act to the per­ son for whose protection the order is made, where the speciﬁed act, if done by the respondent, would be pro­ hibited by the order.
(2) Where, under a direction made under section 18, a restraining order applies against an associated respondent, the provisions of this section apply, with all necessary modiﬁcations, in re­ spect of the associated respondent.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 19 Court may impose special conditions 20 (1) Where the Court makes a restraining order, it may impose any conditions that are reasonably necessary, in the opinion of the Court, to protect the person for whose protection the order is made from further harassment by the respondent, or the asso­ ciated respondent, or both.

(3) (2) Where the Court imposes a condition under this section, it may specify the period during which the condition is to have effect.
In the absence of a direction under subsection (2), a special condition has effect for the duration of the restraining order, unless sooner varied or discharged.

Compare: 1995 No 86 s 27 Duration, variation, and discharge of restraining orders Duration of restraining order 21 (1) A restraining order may be made for such period (whether longer or shorter than 1 year) as the Court considers neces­ sary to protect the applicant from further harassment.
(2) A restraining order continues in force until,— It is discharged under section 23; or (a) (b) Where the Court directs that the order is to be in force for a speciﬁed period, the expiry of that period; or In the absence of such a direction, the expiry of 1 year from the date on which the order is made.
(c) Compare: 1995 No 86 s 45 15 Part 3 s 22 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 22 (1) Power to vary restraining order The Court may, if it thinks ﬁt, on the application of the appli­ cant or the respondent, vary a restraining order,— (a) (b) (c) By varying or discharging any special condition: By imposing any special condition: Subject to subsection (4), by varying the duration of the order, whether by making a direction under section 21 or by varying any such direction.
(2) Where a restraining order applies against an associated re­ spondent, the Court may, if it thinks ﬁt, on the application of the applicant or the associated respondent, vary the restraining order, in so far as it relates to the associated respondent,— (a) (b) (c) By varying or discharging any special condition: By imposing any special condition: Subject to subsection (4), by varying the duration of the order, whether by making a direction under section 21 or by varying any such direction.
(3) (4) The Court may, if it thinks ﬁt, on the application of the appli­ cant, vary a restraining order by directing, under section 18, that the restraining order apply against a particular person.

The Court must not extend the duration of a restraining order under this section unless the Court is satisﬁed that the exten­ sion is necessary to protect the applicant from further harass­ ment.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 46 23 (1) Power to discharge restraining order The Court may, if it thinks ﬁt, on the application of the appli­ cant or the respondent, discharge a restraining order.

(2) On an application under subsection (1), the Court may dis­ charge a restraining order even though the order applies against an associated respondent under a direction made under section 18.
(3) Where a restraining order to which subsection (2) relates is dis­ charged, the order ceases to have effect against the associated respondent as if that person had applied for and been granted a discharge of the order under subsection (4).
16 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 3 s 25 (4) Where a restraining order applies against an associated re­ spondent under a direction made under section 18, the asso­ ciated respondent may apply for the order to be discharged in so far as it relates to him or her.

(5) On an application under subsection (4), the Court may, if it thinks ﬁt, discharge a restraining order in so far as it relates to the associated respondent.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 47 24 25 (1) (2) (3) Variation or discharge on behalf of minors, etc Sections 11 and 13, so far as applicable and with the necessary modiﬁcations, apply in relation to— (a) An application for the variation or discharge of a re­ straining order; and The defending of an application for the variation or dis­ charge of a restraining order— (b) as they apply in relation to the making of an application for a restraining order.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 48 Enforcement of restraining orders Offence to contravene restraining order Every person commits an offence who, without reasonable ex­ cuse,— (a) (b) Does any act in contravention of a restraining order; or Fails to comply with any condition of a restraining order.

Subject to subsection (3), every person who commits an of­ fence against subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a ﬁne not exceeding $5,000.
Every person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years where— (a) That person has previously been convicted on at least 2 different occasions of a qualifying offence; and 17 Part 3 s 26 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 (4) 26 (1) (b) At least 2 of those qualifying offences were committed not earlier than 3 years before the commission of the offence being dealt with by the Court.
For the purposes of subsection (3), a qualifying offence, in re­ lation to the offence being dealt with by the Court, is an offence against subsection (1), where the 2 offences are committed in respect of— (a) (b) The same restraining order; or Restraining orders made for the beneﬁt of the same per­ son.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 49 Power to require person to supply name and address Power to require person to supply name and address This section applies where— (a) A complaint is made to a member of the Police alleging that a particular person (in this section referred to as the alleged harasser) is harassing, or has harassed, another person; and The person making the complaint does not know the name, or the address, or both, of the alleged harasser.
(b) (2) It is not necessary, for the purposes of this section, that the har­ assment to which the complaint relates constitutes an offence against section 8.
(3) Where this section applies, and a member of the Police has reasonable ground to suppose that the alleged harasser is ha­ rassing, or has harassed, the complainant,— (a) Any member of the Police may require the alleged ha­ rasser to give particulars of his or her name and address to that member of the Police; and That member of the Police must tell the alleged harasser, at the time of requiring the particulars, that the particu­ lars are being required under this section.
(b) If the member of the Police has reasonable ground to suppose that any such particulars are false, that member of the Police may require the alleged harasser to supply satisfactory evi­ dence of those particulars.
(4) 18 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 3 s 28 (5) (6) If any person, without reasonable excuse, refuses or fails to supply any particulars or evidence when required to do so by any member of the Police under this section, and persists in that refusal or failure after being warned by the member of the Police, that person may be arrested, without warrant, by any member of the Police.
For the purposes of this section, an alleged harasser includes a person who is being, or has been, encouraged, by another person, to do any speciﬁed act to a person.

(7) Nothing in this section limits or affects any other power con­ ferred on a member of the Police to require a person to supply any particulars.
Compare: 1989 No 63 s 176(1)­(3) 27 Offence Every person commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a ﬁne not exceeding $500 who, having been re­ quired by any member of the Police to supply any particulars or evidence under section 26, without reasonable excuse,— (a) (b) Refuses or fails to supply the particulars or evidence; or Supplies any particulars or evidence knowing that the particulars or evidence are false in a material respect.
Compare: 1989 No 63 s 176(4) 28 Police may release information to enable application for restraining order to be made (1) Where a member of the Police has the name or address, or both, of a person who is alleged to be harassing, or to have harassed, another person, any member of the Police may, at the request of the other person (or, if a representative of the other person has been appointed, at the representative’s re­ quest), disclose that information to a Registrar of a Court at a speciﬁed place.
Subsection (1) applies whether the information about the al­ leged harasser was obtained under section 26 or in some other way.

(2) 19 Part 4 s 29 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 (3) If information is disclosed to a Registrar under subsection (1), court staff must treat that information as conﬁdential, and must not disclose the information other than under subsection (4).
(4) A Registrar may, on request, disclose the information to the other person or, where applicable, to the other person’s repre­ sentative if, and only if, the Registrar is satisﬁed that the other person or his or her representative is to apply for— A restraining order against the alleged harasser; or (a) (b) A direction under section 18 in respect of the alleged harasser.
(5) For the purposes of this section, an alleged harasser includes a person who is being, or has been, encouraged, by another person, to do a speciﬁed act to a person.

Part 4 General provisions General provisions 29 30 Standard of proof Every question of fact arising in any proceedings under this Act (other than criminal proceedings) must be decided on the balance of probabilities.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 85 Admission of evidence In any proceedings under this Act (other than criminal pro­ ceedings), and whether by way of hearing in the ﬁrst instance or by way of appeal, or otherwise, the Court may receive any evidence that would not otherwise be admissible in a court of law, if the Court is satisﬁed that the admission of the evidence is required in the interests of justice.
Applications may be heard together 31 (1) A Court may hear and determine an application for a restrain­ ing order in conjunction with 1 or more other applications for a restraining order in any case where all the applications are made against the same person (whether or not any or all of those applications also relate to any other person).
20 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 4 s 33 (2) Subsection (1) does not limit any other provision under which applications may be dealt with together.

Compare: 1989 No 24 s 158 (2) Vexatious proceedings 32 (1) A Court may dismiss any proceedings before it under this Act if it is satisﬁed that they are frivolous or vexatious or an abuse of the procedure of the Court.
If a Court is satisﬁed that a person has persistently instituted vexatious proceedings under this Act (whether against the same person or against different persons), the Court may make an order prohibiting that person from commencing any proceedings under this Act, or proceedings of any speciﬁed kind or against any speciﬁed person, without the leave of the Court.
(3) A Court must not make an order under subsection (2) prohibit­ ing a person from commencing proceedings without giving that person an opportunity to be heard.

(4) Nothing in this section applies in respect of criminal proceed­ ings.

(5) Nothing in this section limits any other power of the Court to dismiss proceedings.
Compare: 1980 No 94 s 163 33 (1) Copies of orders to be sent to Police This section applies to the following orders made under this Act: (a) (b) Any order varying or discharging a restraining order.
A restraining order: (2) On the making of an order to which this section applies, the Registrar of the Court in which the order is made must ensure that a copy of the order is made available, without delay, to the ofﬁcer in charge of the Police station nearest to where the person for whose protection the order was made resides.
For the purposes of this section, a copy of an order may be made available in any of the following ways: (3) 21 Part 4 s 34 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) By sending the copy by means of electronic transmis­ sion (whether by way of facsimile transmission, elec­ tronic mail, or other similar means of communication): By entering the copy on a database maintained in elec­ tronic form, where that database may be accessed by the person or persons to whom the copy is required to be made available: By sending the copy by ordinary post: By making the copy available in such manner as is pre­ scribed by rules or regulations made under this Act: By making the copy available in such other manner as is appropriate in the circumstances.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 88 Appeals Appeals to High Court 34 (1AA) This subsection applies to a decision of a Family Court or District Court, in proceedings under this Act (including, with­ out limitation, proceedings under section 40), to— (a) make or refuse to make an order; or dismiss the proceedings; or (b) otherwise ﬁnally determine the proceedings.

(c) (1) A party to proceedings in which there is made a decision to which subsection (1AA) applies may appeal to the High Court against the decision.
The High Court Rules and sections 74 to 78 of the District Courts Act 1947, with all necessary modiﬁcations, apply to an appeal under subsection (1) as if it were an appeal under section 72 of that Act.

(2) (3) On the ex parte application of the appellant, the Family Court or District Court (as the case requires) may order that the ap­ pellant must not be required under section 74(1) of the District Courts Act 1947 to give the Registrar of the High Court secur­ ity for costs.
(3A) Subsection (3) overrides subsection (2).

(4) Compare: 1995 No 86 s 91 22 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 4 s 36 Subsection (1AA) was inserted, as from 24 November 2003, by section 4 Dis­ trict Courts Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 63).

See section 5 of that Act for the transitional provision relating to appeals.

See clause 2 District Courts Amendment Act Commencement Order 2003 (SR 2003/281).
Subsections (1) to (3) were substituted, as from 24 November 2003, by section 4 District Courts Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 63).

See section 5 of that Act for the transitional provision relating to appeals.

See clause 2 District Courts Amendment Act Commencement Order 2003 (SR 2003/281).

Subsection (3A) was inserted, as from 24 November 2003, by section 4 Dis­ trict Courts Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 63).

See section 5 of that Act for the transitional provision relating to appeals.
See clause 2 District Courts Amendment Act Commencement Order 2003 (SR 2003/281).

Subsection (4) was repealed, as from 1 January 2004, by section 48(3) Supreme Court Act 2003 (2003 No 53).

See sections 50 to 55 of that Act for the transi­ tional and savings provisions.
35 Application of provisions relating to minors, etc Sections 11 and 13, so far as applicable and with the necessary modiﬁcations, apply in relation to— (a) The making and prosecution of an appeal under section 34 or section 36; and The defending of any such appeal— (b) as they apply in relation to the making of an application for a restraining order.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 92 Appeals to Court of Appeal 36 (1) A party to any appeal under section 34 may, with leave of the Court of Appeal, appeal to the Court of Appeal against any determination of the High Court in that appeal.

(2) On an appeal to the Court of Appeal under this section, the Court of Appeal has the same power to adjudicate on the pro­ ceedings as the High Court had.
(3) Compare: 1995 No 86 s 93 Subsection (1) was amended, as from 1 January 2004, by section 47 Supreme Court Act 2003 (2003 No 53) by omitting the words “on a question of law arising”.

See sections 50 to 55 of that Act for the transitional and savings pro­ visions.

Subsection (3) was repealed, as from 1 January 2004, by section 47 Supreme Court Act 2003 (2003 No 53).

See sections 50 to 55 of that Act for the transi­ tional and savings provisions.
23 Part 4 s 37 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 37 38 Appeals to be heard as soon as practicable Every appeal under section 34 or section 36 must be heard as soon as practicable after the appeal is lodged.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 94 Effect of appeal Except where the Court making the order appealed from other­ wise directs,— (a) The operation of an order made under this Act is not suspended by an appeal under section 34 or section 36; and Every order made under this Act may be enforced in the same manner in all respects as if no such appeal were pending.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 95 (b) Power to clear court and restrict publication of proceedings 39 Power to clear court and restrict publication of proceedings (1) Where, in any proceedings under this Act, the Court is of the opinion that it is desirable to do so, after having regard to the interests of any person (including, without limitation, the pri­ vacy of the applicant) and to the public interest, the Court may make any 1 or more of the following orders: (a) An order forbidding publication of any report or ac­ count of the whole or any part of— The evidence adduced: (i) The submissions made: (ii) (b) An order forbidding the publication of— (i) The name of any person, or any name or particu­ lars likely to lead to the identiﬁcation of that per­ son: The affairs of any person: (ii) An order excluding all or any persons other than the par­ ties to the proceedings, any lawyer engaged in the pro­ ceedings, and any ofﬁcer of the court, from the whole or any part of the proceedings.
(c) 24 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 4 s 41 (2) (3) The Court may make an order under this section on its own motion or on the application of any party to the proceedings.

Every application to the Court for an order under this section may be heard in open court or in chambers.
(4) An order made under subsection (1)(a) or subsection (1)(b),— (a) May be made for a limited period or permanently; and If it is made for a limited period, may be renewed for a (b) further period or periods by the Court under section 40; and If it is made permanently, may be reviewed by the Court at any time under section 40.
(c) (5) Nothing in this section limits or restricts any other power of the Court— (a) To prohibit or restrict the publication of reports or par­ ticulars relating to proceedings; or To hear proceedings in private or to exclude any person from the Court.
Compare: 1985 No 120 s 138(2), (4) (b) 40 (1) Application for renewal or review of order made under section 39 If the Court makes an order under section 39(1)(a) or section 39(1)(b), any person may at any time apply to the Court— (a) For a renewal of the order, if the order was made for a limited time: For a review of the order, if the order was made per­ manently.
(b) (2) An application may be made under subsection (1) by any per­ son who was a party to the proceedings in which the order was made or by any other person.

(3) After considering an application under this section, the Court may renew, revoke, vary, or continue the order as it thinks ﬁt.
Compare: 1995 No 95 s 108 41 (1) Contravention of orders made under section 39 Every person commits an offence who breaches any order made under section 39(1)(a) or section 39(1)(b) or evades or attempts to evade any such order.
25 Part 4 s 42 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 (2) (3) 42 (1) Every person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction,— (a) In the case of an individual, to a ﬁne not exceeding $1,000: In the case of a body corporate, to a ﬁne not exceeding $5,000.

(b) The breach of any order made under section 39(1)(c), or any evasion or attempted evasion of it, may be dealt with as con­ tempt of court.
Compare: 1985 No 120 s 138(7), (8) Rules and regulations Rules of court In addition to all other powers conferred by the District Courts Act 1947, the Governor­General may from time to time, by Order in Council, make rules— (a) Regulating the practice and procedure of District Courts in proceedings under this Act: Providing for such matters as are contemplated by or necessary for giving full effect to the provisions of this Act and for its due administration.
(b) (2) Without limiting subsection (1), rules made under that subsec­ tion may— (a) Prescribe the procedure for the service of notices and other documents for the purposes of this Act, and pro­ vide for substituted service, and for service to be dis­ pensed with, in such circumstances as are speciﬁed in the rules: Prescribe such forms as are necessary for the purposes of this Act, or authorise any speciﬁed person or persons to prescribe or approve forms, and require the use of such forms: Prescribe circumstances in which applications under this Act may be made without notice, and circum­ stances in which applications under this Act must be made on notice: (b) (c) (d) Make such provision as is necessary or desirable in relation to representatives, including (without limita­ tion),— 26 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 Harassment Act 1997 Part 4 s 42 (i) (ii) Providing for the appointment, retirement, and removal of representatives: Prescribing the circumstances in which a repre­ sentative is or is not responsible for costs, and providing for the recovery, by a representative, of costs paid or incurred by the representative while acting as such: (iii) Providing for the conduct of proceedings brought, on a person’s behalf, by a represen­ tative: (e) Provide that proceedings may be stayed or dismissed, or that a party may not take certain steps or further steps in the proceedings (whether not at all or only on such terms as the Court considers appropriate),— (i) If certain speciﬁed requirements of the rules are not complied with; or (ii) Unless or until certain speciﬁed requirements of (iii) the rules are complied with; or If any order made under the rules is not complied with; or (iv) Unless or until any order made under the rules is complied with: (f) (g) Provide that Registrars may exercise speciﬁed powers of the Court or a Judge: Provide for information about proceedings under this Act to be transferred between courts (whether District Courts, Family Courts, the High Court, the Court of Ap­ peal, or the Supreme Court), including (without limita­ tion) between different courts, or between different div­ isions of the same court, or between courts exercising civil jurisdiction and courts exercising criminal juris­ diction, or between courts exercising appellate jurisdic­ tion and courts exercising original jurisdiction: (h) Apply, with or without modiﬁcation, provisions of the District Courts Rules 1992.
(3) In the absence of any rules under this section or in any situ­ ation not covered by any such rules, the District Courts Rules 27 Part 4 s 43 Harassment Act 1997 Reprinted as at 3 September 2007 1992 apply, with all necessary modiﬁcations, to proceedings under this Act.
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 126 Subsection (2)(g) was amended, as from 1 January 2004, by section 47 Supreme Court Act 2003 (2003 No 53) by substituting the words “the Court of Appeal, or the Supreme Court” for the words “or the Court of Appeal”.

See sections 50 to 55 of that Act for the transitional and savings provisions.
43 44 45 Regulations The Governor­General may from time to time, by Order in Council, make regulations for all or any of the following pur­ poses: (a) Prescribing, for the purposes of section 33(3)(d), the manner in which copies of orders may be made avail­ able: Providing for such matters as are contemplated by or necessary for giving full effect to the provisions of this Act and for its due administration.
(b) Amendments to other enactments Amendment to Summary Proceedings Act 1957 Section 212(2) of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 is amended by inserting in paragraph (eb) (as inserted by sec­ tion 5 of the Summary Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 1995), after the expression “Domestic Violence Act 1995”, the expression “or the Harassment Act 1997”.
Amendment to Electoral Act 1993 Section 115(2) of the Electoral Act 1993 is amended by in­ serting, after paragraph (a) (as substituted by section 132 of the Domestic Violence Act 1995), the following paragraph: “(aa) A restraining order that is in force under the Harassment Act 1997 in respect of any person; or.” Saving Other remedies for harassment not limited or affected Nothing in this Act limits or affects any right or remedy that exists or is available, apart from this Act, in respect of harass­ ment.
46 28