WELCOME

"In the end, it's about privacy," says a law professor

May 28, 2019 by Lena Webb

"In the end, it's about privacy," says a law professor who says he is involved with anti-fraud group Privacy International. "We're concerned about the impact [the new law] will have on the ability to engage in a fair and responsible online marketplace."

The move is expected to be approved by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's cabinet within the next few days.

However, privacy campaigners and privacy advocates are concerned that the new law is likely to become a huge blow for the government's new digital privacy initiative.

"It's going to drive up the cost of the new data collection for all travellers to NZ and to the entire country from the point of view of the government and the privacy advocates," says Bill Lautenberg, director of the privacy group Privacy International. "When people are subjected to this invasive, intrusive and invasive collection which will be so pervasive for the rest of the year, it's a huge blow to the privacy of all travellers to New Zealand, and to New Zealanders as well."

According to a report in The Guardian on Tuesday, the fine could be up to NZ$5,000 ($3,200 for a second or subsequent entry) for non-citizens who refuse the procedure.

However, experts say that the increased cost for some travellers is likely to make the system more difficult to understand, and that privacy advocates are concerned that it may also mean more problems for New Zealand's most vulnerable.