Spies prompt law overhaul

The Government is to announce an overhaul of legislation relating to identity certificates in the wake of the Israeli spy controversy.

The relationship between this country and Israel took a frosty turn after two suspected Israeli spies were arrested in March 2004 and charged with trying to fraudulently obtain New Zealand passports.

Uriel Zoshe Kelman and Eli Cara were convicted then deported last September after serving two months of their six-month prison sentences.

The two men had assumed the identity of a severely disabled man in their bid to gain New Zealand passports, the courts were told at the time.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said the case had sparked a review of identification certificates such as those for births, deaths and marriages.

"The next step was to look at the legal frameworks and how easily people can access information about the identity of others, that's what it is going to deal with," Helen Clark said.

"There is scope to improve the legislation to inhibit identity fraud further," she said.

Internal Affairs Minister Rick Barker is set to formally announce the overhaul later this week.

Relations between Israel and New Zealand have improved over the past year after Israel said they regretted the incident and diplomatic relations returned to normal.

- NZPA