John Key's speech

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.

Yahoo,

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