Crimes (Impeding Major Bridges, Tunnels, and Roads) Amendment Bill
This bill creates a new crime for people who trespass on major roads, bridges, or tunnels and either damage them or seriously block traffic and pedestrians. If found guilty, a person could face up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000, or both. It covers motorways and state highways, and the government can add other roads, bridges, or tunnels to the list through regulations. It comes into effect the day after it becomes law.
What this affects
Tap a topic to see how this bill touches it, and the parts of the text that show it.
The bill makes it a criminal offence to trespass on major roads, bridges, or tunnels if you damage them or seriously block traffic, with penalties of up to two years in prison or a $20,000 fine.
A person commits an offence if the person, without reasonable excuse, enters, remains on, climbs, jumps from, or otherwise trespasses on any part of a major bridge, tunnel, or road; and the conduct... causes damage to the bridge, tunnel, or road; or seriously disrupts or obstructs vehicles or pedestrians attempting to use the bridge, tunnel, or road.
A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years, a fine not exceeding $20,000, or both.
Progress through Parliament
Have your say
Submissions open once a bill reaches the select committee stage and the committee calls for them. In the meantime, you can write to your local MP about it.
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.