The Government has introduced legislation aimed at giving the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) expanded powers to tackle increasingly sophisticated fraud and corruption offences.
The bill passed its first reading in Parliament on Thursday, with Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell saying the changes are needed to keep pace with modern criminal activity.
The proposed law would allow the SFO to access a wider range of digital and cloud-based evidence, apply for search warrants orally in urgent situations, and manage search scenes without interference from affected parties. Ministers said the current framework can create obstacles for investigators dealing with complex financial crime and fast-moving electronic evidence.
Goldsmith said fraud costs New Zealand billions of dollars annually and leaves significant financial and emotional harm for individuals and businesses. He said advances in technology and increasingly complex offending methods mean law enforcement agencies need updated tools to effectively investigate and prosecute offenders.
Mitchell said the Government remains focused on strengthening law and order across all forms of crime, including fraud and corruption. He said the legislation would reduce unnecessary barriers preventing the SFO from carrying out investigations efficiently and protecting the public from financial offending.
The bill also proposes changes to evidence admissibility rules, allowing courts to use the broader test contained in the Evidence Act 2006 when deciding whether unlawfully obtained evidence can be admitted. In addition, it clarifies that Police assisting the SFO during warrant executions can use their existing powers under the Search and Surveillance Act 2012.
The SFO is a joke. This country is so corrupt. Why don’t they start investigating local councils and the absolutely disrespectful wasteful spending that goes on. Audit them.
Then have a look at parliament and stop paying people who don’t show up.
Sick and tired of the state of this country and the absolute lack of integrity or a vast number of people who spend our money.
😡
Search & Surveillance Act 2012 ; brought in by NZ J3wi$h PM John Key!
Allows for entry when occupants are not home!
The current revision also allows for evidence obtained illegally to now be admissable to the courts.
Questionable evidence being presented? The Prosecutors can now have a human & civil rights-violating happy time! Conviction bonuses will abound!
Don’t have a Digital ID? This will be broad spectrum, and will criminally charge you for not having such!
…legislation aimed at giving the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) expanded powers to tackle increasingly sophisticated fraud and corruption offences [within government and associated bureaucracy].
Yeah right.
Don’t suppose there’s a chance they’ll investigate themselves then. What a joke.
The New Zealand Company government’s modus operandi is fraud and corruption. They are the biggest offenders of all and right under the SFO noses.
Hang on…isn’t New Zealand om dire debt? Aren’t we like a third world country now, so how can they afford this? I know tax is more and more for these stupid things. We are a tiny island with a population of a small town. OTT.
They dont even prosecute the fraud that is occurring. I know one case where he was ordered to pay back but then they reversed that. He got no prison time or penalty.
Yeah what a disgrace. This country has become so corrupt.
And being corrupt, this is when the Zionists will move in and take over! Hence, we have to call that out, and we DO NOT want them or their discriminatory, destructive methodologies here in NZ.
Maori should be especially concerned with this ‘global Kibbuts trend’ of taking over entire councils with J3wi$h plants that then open the doors to Noahide Law, Talmudic abuses, and eventually forced migrations as we are currently seeing!
I hope the Maori Tribes can take the time to see the below and be informed so that their land won’t be stolen via a Blackrock or Bankster Federal Debt Force Majeur…
https://odysee.com/@thecrowhouse:2/Max-Igan—Stew-Peters-Show—040326:b
The New Zealand Tax Payers Union has called a lot of this out, but the SFO, Cops and Parliament have not acted on any of it so far!
https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/
Unfortunately, there is little to prevent identity theft when search engines, AI’s, data aggregators and such happily substitute the picture of one bald man for another similar looking bald man, or one smiling woman with earrings for another in an almost similar pose…these are just examples but the law will always lag behind the technology. I hope new amendments to the law include requirements for due diligence in assessing not only those accused of fraud but also those claiming victim status.