InternetNZ welcomes anti-spam bill first reading

InternetNZ, the Internet Society of
New Zealand, is delighted that Parliament has voted almost unanimously
in favour of the Government's anti-spam legislation at its first
reading.
"We are pretty much the last country in the OECD
to progress anti-spam legislation, so we are very pleased that it has
passed its first reading and been referred to a select committee for
detailed consideration," said InternetNZ Vice-President David Farrar.
"InternetNZ
strongly supports the legislation being referred to select committee,
and we thank IT Minister David Cunliffe for his work in advancing the
legislation."
"The legislation generally adopts the best
of overseas laws on this issue, especially the successful Australian
legislation. However in one key aspect, the enforcement model, we
believe the current bill can be improved upon so that compliance costs
for ISPs are reduced. We are looking forward to proposing these
improvements to the select committee."
InternetNZ wants
to reiterate that it in no way believes the proposed legislation is a
magic cure for spam. But it can and will form part of more wide-spread
efforts to reduce or eliminate the level of spam people receive. It
will allow the Department of Internal Affairs to work with overseas
enforcement agencies in tracking down and prosecuting the worst
spammers. Already prosecutions in the US especially seem to be
contributing to a reduction in overall spam levels.
"Once
again we welcome the passage of the anti-spam bill through its first
reading and thank the seven parties who voted in favour of it."
concluded David Farrar.
ENDS
Contact:
David Farrar, Vice President
0274 470 216, david@farrar.com
Keith Davidson, Executive Director
021 377 587, keith@internetnz.net.nz