Courts’ tools include restraining and harmful digital communication orders
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has highlighted that the Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Act 2025 has made stalking a criminal offence with a penalty of imprisonment for a maximum of five years as of 26 May 2026.
The new legislation defines stalking and harassment as a pattern of behaviour – namely, two specified acts on two separate occasions within two years – that the offender knew would likely subject the victim to fear or distress.
To safeguard victim-survivors in various circumstances, the new law lists the following as stalking behaviours:
According to the government’s news release, the last item seeks to encompass “doxing” or “collating and publishing private and identifying information about an individual, including posting information on their behalf.”
In a news release, the Ministry of Justice clarified that the new offence applies regardless of the offender’s and the victim’s relationship. The justice ministry added that a self-represented person charged with stalking and harassment cannot cross-examine the victim.
To equip courts with the tools they need to help protect victims, the new anti-stalking legislation provides for:
Goldsmith shared that the new legislation aims to help the government send a clear message against stalking and ensure that stalkers face the legal consequences. The justice ministry added that the new law aims to:
Describing stalking as vicious, sinister, insidious, and potentially deadly, Goldsmith explained that this behaviour leads to serious emotional, psychological, and economic harm.
“For years we’ve heard accounts by Kiwi women that have been shocking,” he said in the government’s news release.
Goldsmith acknowledged that stalkers can victimise anybody.
“However, women are greatly overrepresented as victims, due to the actions by the deluded, the sexist, and the abusive,” he said. “Even worse, their children can be exploited to surveil victims, pass on threats, or even be threatened themselves.”
Goldsmith said he was grateful to all those who advocated for and assisted with making the new anti-stalking law a reality.
“I want to thank the over 600 submitters to the Justice Committee,” he said. “Many of them bravely shared their own stories, experiences and the impact stalking and harassment had on their lives.”
“From day one our government has been committed to ensuring there are real consequences for crime and that victims are at the heart of the justice system,” Goldsmith said. “It underpins all our work to fix the basics in law and order, and build a future where all New Zealanders can feel safe in their communities.”
He noted that the government has previously limited judges’ sentencing discounts to 40 percent and enabled sexual violence victims to decide whether to grant their perpetrators permanent name suppression.
