By Laura Frykberg
The Government's controversial new video camera surveillance bill will have its first reading in Parliament tomorrow and then be referred to select committee.
But a civil liberties lawyer says pushing it through under urgency is not only retrospective law but unnecessary.
The ramifications of the so-called terror raids are still being felt four years on.
The Government will rush legislation through to a select committee to make covert tactics, like those used in 2007, legal.
The move is backed by ACT and United Future, but not by civil liberty advocates
“We're talking about illegal police conduct on private land - we've heard that that happened in operation eight. How many other cases involved illegal police conduct on private land? I certainly haven't heard of any,” says Barry Wilson from the Auckland Council for Civil Liberties.
The legislation is being pushed through three weeks after the Supreme Court ruled that covert filming during the raids was illegal
But the Government says the ruling has far reaching implications
“If we don't get those cameras turned back on then we are at risk, in my view, of having a number of criminals who won't be brought to justice. There are serious cases involved here,” says Prime Minister John Key.
Labour says it will vote for the bill to go to select committee, but is not happy about the rushed process.
“What evidence, for example, does the Government actually have that “serious criminals” will get off the hook if this legislation is not rushed through under urgency,” says Labour leader Phil Goff.
But the Government says that proof is 50 cases, which will not go ahead unless the law is passed.
Labour and Mr Wilson also say the Government has had a year to pass the search and surveillance bill which will give police sufficient laws to covertly film suspects.
But the Government says it is a complex piece of legislation which will be looked at after the election.
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