Joint New Zealand-Australian operation against child pornography

07/08/2002
New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs’ and the Queensland Police Service have launched a joint operation against trans-Tasman Internet child pornography.

Search warrants were executed simultaneously yesterday on one address in Christchurch and another in Brisbane. Several computers and large numbers of disks have been seized.

The General Manager of the Department’s Gaming and Censorship Regulation Group, Keith Manch, said that the Department began its investigation after receiving information from another agency. The Department’s investigation found that the two men had allegedly exchanged images and messages in parts of the Internet used for trading child pornography.

Queensland Police Sexual Crimes Investigation Unit Acting Inspector Michael Volk said investigations were being conducted into allegations of a child being abused in Queensland and steps had been taken to ensure there is no future risk to children.

“The investigation is likely to take several weeks and we will not release any further information before it is concluded,” Mr Manch said.

Background
In New Zealand, the Films Videos and Publications Classification Act 1993 prohibits objectionable material, including all child pornography.
Penalties under the Act are:
· Possession of objectionable material, fines of up to $2,000 per charge (section 131)
· Distributing or making copies for distribution, fines of up to $5,000 per charge (section 123)
· An individual knowing that an image was objectionable, fines of up to $20,000 per charge and up to 1 year in prison per charge (section 124)
· A organisation knowing that an image was objectionable, fines of up to $50,000 per charge (section 124)
· Courts can also impose orders to seize and destroy objectionable publications, which include computers and CDs (sections 116 and 136)

Media contact:
Keith Manch Phone 04 495 9449
General Manager Gaming and Censorship Regulation Cellular 027 445 6420

Vincent Cholewa Cellular 025 272 4270
Communications Advisor