New Zealand passes laws to reduce terrorism risk, keep community safe

The New Zealand government has further strengthened and clarified counter-terrorism laws, particularly around high-risk individuals, to make the communities safer, Justice Minister Kiri Allan said on Thursday.

The Counter-Terrorism Acts (Designations and Control Orders) Amendment Bill 2023 passed its third reading with strong support across the parliament.

“The government will continue to respond to the evolving nature of terrorism to ensure our communities are kept safe from these horrific acts,’’ Allan said.

Following the Lynn Mall terror attack in 2021 in Auckland, the government sought a review of how the control order regime could be strengthened, to which Thursday’s new laws responded, she said.

The Control Orders Act would be more effective and ensure operational agencies had  the right tools to better prevent and respond to terror attacks, the minister said.

The scheme to designate terrorist entities, which was also used to disrupt and prevent terrorism, would be strengthened and clarified too.

She said the scheme’s purpose was to prevent further terrorist acts by placing restrictions on the assets and activities of identified terrorist entities, including individuals.

“The scheme was brought in to stop New Zealanders from providing financial support to overseas terrorist groups following the September 11 attacks,’’ Allan said.

“The government continues to make progress on implementing the recommendations from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on two Christchurch mosques on March 15, 2019,” she added.

(NAN)