Oceania
New Zealand.
New Zealand's Crimes Act 1961 imposes duties to provide necessaries and take care on people who have charge of others or who undertake dangerous acts. The Charities Act 2005 sets up a register of charitable entities, and Inland Revenue allows individuals a tax credit of one third of eligible donations. Royal honours include the King's Service Order and Medal for voluntary community service and the New Zealand Bravery Awards.
Is there a legal duty to help a stranger?
LimitedThe Crimes Act 1961 imposes legal duties on people who have actual care or charge of a vulnerable adult (section 151) or a child under 18 (section 152), and on anyone who undertakes a lawful act dangerous to life (section 155) or an act whose omission may be dangerous to life (section 157). The sections reviewed do not contain a duty on a stranger with no such relationship or undertaking to rescue another person.
Are people who help protected?
None foundNo statute giving general civil or criminal protection to a good-faith helper was located in this review. Section 155 of the Crimes Act excepts "a case of necessity" from the duty of skill and care for people who undertake treatment, but this is not a Good Samaritan clause. Whether other schemes (for example accident compensation) cover helpers was not checked.
How the government promotes giving and service
Ways to give and volunteer
New Zealand has a public register of charities and a strong volunteer culture in fire, rescue and community groups. Check the register first, then pick a local group.
Check a charity before you give
The government register where you can look up any registered charity and read its returns and financial statements.
Give your time
Give money, blood or a donation
In an emergency or a crisis
Before you act
- Scammers copy real charity names after disasters, so open the charity's own site instead of a link in a message. Look up a group on the Charities Register before giving and check its latest return. Visitors on a tourist visa should check immigration rules before doing unpaid work.
This list does not cover iwi, marae and church services or every regional community trust. Checked 2026-10-28. Listing an organization is not an endorsement, and none of them has endorsed this site. Some official sites block automatic checks, so a link may need a second try.
One thing worth knowing
The bravery honours are defined around saving another person's life at personal risk and are open to nomination by any member of the public, so recognition of rescue by strangers is built into the Royal honours system.
What this does not mean
Sections reviewed reflect the legislation.govt.nz versions current in 2026 and may change; the tax credit rules are summarized from Inland Revenue and a cap on donations reported by a non-official site was not verified. Volunteering New Zealand is a non-governmental body listed for context only. This guide did not review Civil Defence legislation or the Royal Humane Society, and is not legal advice. This is a plain-language summary of public sources, not legal advice, and it does not rank countries. No government named here has endorsed this site. Not reviewed by a lawyer. Statutes were read in public sources and may have changed. Last checked October 26, 2026.