By Patrick Gower
A political stand-off is developing in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling which means that police can’t use spy camera footage as evidence in criminal cases.
The Government says it needs to change the law urgently to allow prosecutions to continue, but it may find it hard to get support from other parties.
“I think New Zealanders would be horrified if a large number of criminals weren’t made to pay their debt to society because some political parties don’t recognise the law needs to be clarified,” says Prime Minister John Key.
The ruling in the Urewera case jeopardises 50 investigations currently underway and 40 cases before the courts, Mr Key says.
But one of the country’s top lawyers says that’s an exaggeration.
“Does that mean that police are going onto private property on a routine basis, installing cameras on private property and taking photos there? I don’t think so,” says barrister Grant Ilingworth.
This is about intrusion of the state, so finding political support is difficult too.
Passing it in the six sitting days before the election would mean Parliament going into urgency – preventing the public from joining the debate.
“It is important that public scrutiny and the scrutiny of Parliament is given its fullest attention,” says Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell.
National’s other coalition partner ACT is wavering too.
So that only leaves Labour – which wants it to go to a Select Committee at least.
“I’ve seen the rhetoric. I want to hear the evidence,” says Labour Party leader Phil Goff.
“We will make a decision based on the evidence we see and the acceptability of it.”
Attempts to make changes to search laws this term have been controversial – it is always a balancing act between fighting crime and civil rights.
Now, it’s a balancing act for Mr Key to get the political support he needs.
3 News