Police not equipped to enforce new computer laws, says National

2.00pm

New laws to deal with computer crime, which came into force yesterday, will not work unless the police have the resources to enforce them, says National MP Tony Ryall.

It is now an offence to access a computer for dishonest purposes, damage or interfere with a computer system, access a computer without authorisation or make, sell, distribute or possess software to commit a crime.

The new crimes carry sentences of up to seven years in prison.

Police Minister George Hawkins said they brought the law into line with the latest technology, but Mr Ryall said there was little point having new laws if hardly anyone was prosecuted.

"Already the police are suffering from under-resourcing, and the police have now confirmed that at present they are only able to investigate between 20 per cent and 30 per cent of reported computer crime," he said.

"It's time George Hawkins got real with the problems facing the force -- he can't add new penalties without giving police the tools and the resources they need."

Mr Ryall, National's police spokesman, said money was being spent on highway patrols and speed cameras but not much else.

"New Zealanders don't want cops ticketing people for driving six kilometres over the limit as serious computer crime goes unchecked and while burglars have only a less than one in 12 chance of getting caught in Auckland."

- NZPA