Harassment Act 1997, ss 26, 27; Harassment Act 1997, s 28; Harassment Act 1997, s 15
If you don’t know the name and address of the person harassing you, you can make a complaint to the police and give them whatever information you can to help the police find and identify the person – for example, what they look like and where they might be found. You can complain to the police in this situation whether or not the person’s behaviour amounts to criminal harassment.
When the police find the person they can require them to give their name and address, provided the police have reasonable grounds to suppose that the person has in fact harassed you. The police can also require them to provide proof of their name and address if they believe on reasonable grounds that the person has given false details.
If the person refuses to give the information, and continues to refuse after they’ve been warned, the police can arrest them. It’s an offence to refuse to provide the information, or to provide proof of name and address when asked for it, and if convicted in court the person can be fined up to $500.
Once the police have the harasser’s details, they can, at your request, give the information to the registrar at the local District Court, so that you can complete your application for a restraining order.
Note: An application for a restraining order is always made “on notice” to the other person (the “respondent”). This means they’re given a copy of the application and affidavit in support, and have a chance to present a defence before the court decides whether to grant the restraining order.