Military Decorations and Distinctive Badges (Modernisation) Amendment Bill
This bill updates a very old law from 1918 that makes it illegal to fake or misuse military medals and badges. The main change is increasing the maximum fine — from what was roughly 20 pounds to $10,000 — to make it a real deterrent. It also updates old-fashioned wording so it applies to all people serving in the military, not just men.
What this affects
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The maximum fine for faking or misusing military medals is being raised from an outdated amount to $10,000 to make it more of a real punishment.
replace '20 pounds' with '$10,000'
The financial penalty is outdated and unlikely to act as a disincentive for potential offenders, so this Bill seeks to remediate that issue.
Progress through Parliament
Have your say
This bill is open for public submissions to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee. Anyone can tell the committee what they think, and you don’t need to be an expert. Submissions close 13 May 2026.
Bill text sourced from legislation.govt.nz (Parliamentary Counsel Office). Arapono’s summary and breakdown are drafted with AI grounded in that official text and reviewed by an Arapono editor for accuracy and neutrality before publishing. Arapono is non-partisan and takes no position on this bill.