Foreign
fighters law changes by Xmas: Key
Prime
Minister John Key wants law changes to deal with the threat posed by
foreign fighters passed by Christmas.
4
November, 2014
Mr
Key is expected to outline more details about the recommended changes
when he gives a speech about national security in Wellington on
Wednesday.
But
he's cited the Cricket World Cup, which will be co-hosted by New
Zealand and Australia in February, as one of the reasons for pushing
the law changes through sooner rather than later.
"At
any major international event now there is a heightened risk of a
terrorist attack. There is always a perception that there is a
greater risk," Mr Key told reporters on Tuesday.
He's
had advice that the law changes should be passed before the end of
the year.
"Having
identified the gap in our legislation it seems logical for us to try
and resolve that reasonably quickly."
If
the laws aren't passed before the end of the year, the earliest it
could be passed is in February, just a few days out from the start of
the Cricket World Cup.
"Our
preference would be to pass it before Christmas," Mr Key said.
Laws
around New Zealand's domestic spy agency, the SIS, were beefed up
ahead of New Zealand hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup, giving them
greater surveillance powers.
Meanwhile,
Labour's foreign affairs spokesman David Shearer and defence
spokesman Phil Goff received a confidential briefing about the
proposed law changes on Tuesday morning.
They
say they're reasonably happy with the changes.
There
will be a sunset clause in the legislation, which means the changes
will only last until the end of 2015 while a wider review is ongoing.
In
his speech on Wednesday, Mr Key will outline more details about the
risk posed to New Zealand by foreign fighters.
He
will talk more about the number of people in New Zealand who are
looking to leave the country to become foreign fighters.
Within
that category, there are also people in New Zealand who are
financially supporting Islamic State terrorists
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