Anti-terror measures beefed up

By PAULA OLIVER and JEREMY REES

As tension grew in New York after fears of further attacks the Government said it was committed to improving New Zealand's readiness to deal with chemical, biological and other attacks.

It is to spend $10.6 million to improve anti-terrorism and security measures in response to the September 11 attacks.

It has already announced a new system - known as the Advanced Passenger Processing System - which can identify and screen all passengers bound for New Zealand before they get on an aeroplane.

The system is expected to be up and running this year. About $1.6 million has been allocated in the first year, with extra money set aside for the following years.

Already used in Australia, the system keeps a record of the documents used by passengers, even those who later destroy their travel documents while en route.

Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel described APP as an invaluable tool.

The Government has said it will consider fining airlines who fail to stop irregular migrants travelling here.

It says that while the country is geographically remote and an unlikely target, the possibility of a terrorist attack could never be ruled out.

Although the Government has put aside extra money, the amount pales next to the huge injections of cash poured into Australian defence and counter-terrorism measures announced by the Howard Government in its Budget 10 days ago.

The extra money is intended to create what was nicknamed across the Tasman "Fortress Australia".

The Australian Government provided an extra A$524 million ($620 million) to deploy troops to fight the war against terror, A$2.8 billion over five years to stop illegal immigrants entering Australia and A$1.3 billion over five years to upgrade security.

In his Budget speech to Parliament, Finance Minister Michael Cullen also pointed to counter-terrorism programmes being run by the police.

"Counter-terrorism programmes include increased operational funding for initiatives at domestic airports and additional resources for counter-terrorism investigation and intelligence-gathering activities."

The Government announced $462,000 a year has been set aside to pay for 24-hour security at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre.

Ms Dalziel also said a fingerprinting system would be introduced for all people who claim refugee status when they arrive in New Zealand. "This is a sensible approach as all asylum seekers who claim refugee status at the border are already routinely fingerprinted."

She said that extending the fingerprinting system to include those who claimed refugee status, sometimes years after their arrival, would reduce the ability of people to claim refugee status more than once under different identities.

A further $1m has been allocated to police to counter terrorism with permanent staff expected to be put in place at six of the country's airports by July.

On the same day as the Budget, Defence Minister Mark Burton announced New Zealand would extend its peacekeeping presence in Afghanistan until the end of the year.

Troops, led by American forces, remain in Afghanistan after removing the Taleban Government which supported Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, thought to be behind the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Centre.

Mr Burton said the security situation in parts of Afghanistan remained "uncertain" but the presence of the International Security Assistance Force, including New Zealand soldiers, had helped maintain order in the capital, Kabul.

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