Media Statement
For immediate release Wednesday, 17 March, 2004

Alexander: Crime assets move should be tougher

The Government's announcement today that it would develop a civil forfeiture regime to improve criminal asset recovery laws was proof that an "old dog can learn new tricks after all - well at least a little trick," United Future's Marc Alexander said.

"We have been on the Government's case about this one for some considerable time, and while it's a step in the right direction, it needs to go further," Mr Alexander, United Future's law and order spokesman, said.

"We're delighted to see Justice Minister Phil Goff following our lead, but we still need to really deal to the criminal gangs who prey on society," Mr Alexander said.

"The Government is still dilly-dallying with a conviction-based scheme, while we have tax laws that hold law-abiding citizens to account for their income - you and I have to prove that our income is lawfully derived.

"We still need to get some real teeth into the law, and take to the gangs. They have preyed upon society for long enough and we have the 95 percent gang-controlled $1250 million a year P industry to prove it.

"The Government has to harden up and remember who it is serving - the good people of New Zealand; not those who choose to stand outside our laws and prey upon society," Mr Alexander said.

Ends.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>