Richard Prosser MP

Spokesperson for Police
12 March 2014

Rush through Ban on Lasers Says New Zealand First

New Zealand First is calling for a bill banning powerful hand-held lasers to be rushed through Parliament and made law today.

Spokesperson for Police Richard Prosser says there is a clear and present danger to aircraft in particular, and called on the Government to pass the Summary Offences (Possession of Hand-held Lasers) Amendment Bill immediately.

“The Private Member’s Bill from National MP Cam Calder is due to come before Parliament for its Second Reading later tonight.

“We’ll be asking the Government to vote the bill into law immediately instead of waiting two or three months for it to pass further stages.

Mr Prosser says any delay in passing the bill puts aircraft at risk, and the lives of passengers and aircrew should be paramount.

“We absolutely support Dr Calder’s bill and we’re saying to the Government that it needs to be law right now, to provide protection for airliners and everybody who flies on them.

“There are idiots out there and potentially worse, who think it’s a clever idea to blind pilots with powerful lasers.

“They have to be stopped, and the sooner we can put this tool in the hands of the police, and take these dangerous lasers out of circulation the better,” says Mr Prosser.

ENDS

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