Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wel ington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
12 October 2022
Erika Whittome
[FYI request #19936 email]
Our ref: OIA 98430
Tēnā koe Erika
Official Information Act request: Collection of fines
Thank you for your email of 16 August 2022, following on from our 11 August 2022
response to your previous request.
The Ministry is now able to provide you with a response regarding COVID-19 offences and
related fines, as noted in our response to you on 13 September 2022.
In your original request of 12 June 2022, to Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa | WorkSafe New Zealand,
you had requested for the following information to be supplied under the Official Information Act
1982 (OIA):
1. The total number of fines issued to date.
2. The monetary value of these fines.
3. The number of fines that have been successfully collected to date.
4. The monetary value that has been successfully col ected.
5. Where the fines have not been collected, the budget spent to date on court
appearances and legal costs for these fine collection.
6. The budget allocated for this financial year for using the courts to attempt to collect
these fines.
In their response WorkSafe New Zealand indicated:
A business has 28 days to pay infringement fees; if payment is not made within 28 days a
reminder notice may be issued. Infringement fees that remain unpaid are transferred to
the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) for collection or further action.
Once transferred to MOJ, WorkSafe does not have any further involvement or any
visibility of MOJ’s further action including collecting any payments.
We have interpreted this request to cover the outstanding information requested from WorkSafe
New Zealand via questions three and four. This has been considered under the Of icial
Information Act 1982 (OIA).
We are not able to confirm the number of fines transferred from WorkSafe New Zealand that
have been successfully collected to date, or their individual monetary value. This is because
providing this level of detail may make the individual fines identifiable.
We can provide the overall information for COVID-19 offence related fines issued under the
following legislations:
o COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020
o COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order 2020
o COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Order 2021
o COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021
Please find attached
Appendix 1 which provides you with the monetary values of the fines
issued under the legislations outlined above:
Table 1: Fines relating to COVID-19 offences lodged with the Court
Table 2: Total amount of fines relating to COVID-19 offences lodged the Court that have
been collected or are under a current payment arrangement
Table 3: Total amount of uncollected fines relating to COVID-19 offences lodged with the
Court, excluding fines under a current payment arrangement
If you are not satisfied with my response, you have the right to complain to the
Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Act. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email
at [email address].
Nāku noa, nā
Tracey Baguley
Group Manager, National Service Delivery
Appendix 1
Table 1: Fines relating to COVID-19 offences lodged with the Court
Total Value of Impositions Amount Outstanding
$667,310
$514,650
Table 2: Total amount of fines relating to COVID-19 offences lodged with the Court that have been
col ected or are under a current payment arrangement
Col ection Status
Amount
Satisfied1
$102,362
Under Arrangement2
$236,174
Total
$338,536
1 Satisfied indicates that a fine has been paid in ful .
2 Under Arrangement indicates that a fine has a current payment arrangement in place.
Table 3: Total amount of uncol ected fines relating to COVID-19 offences lodged with the Court,
excluding fines under a current payment arrangement
Col ection Status
Amount
Breached Arrangement3
$48,396
Cancelled4
$10,188
Imposed5
$5,790
In Default6
$221,730
Under Appeal or Rehearing7 $4,030
Under Enforcement8
$38,640
Total
$328,774
3 Breached Arrangement indicates that a fine had a payment arrangement in place, which is now in breach.
4 Cancel ed indicates that a fine has been withdrawn by the issuer.
5 Imposed indicates that a fine has been sent to Court for collection, but it is within the initial 28-day period
and no payment arrangement is in place.
6 In Default indicates that a fine has been sent to Court for collection, but it is past the initial 28-day period
and no payment arrangement is in place.
7 When a fine is Under Appeal or Rehearing enforcement action cannot take place until a 28-day period has
passed.
8 Under Enforcement indicates that a fine is subject to active enforcement action.
