SPCS

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC.

ISIS website shut down in Iceland had New Zealand address

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A suspected Islamic State website shut down by Iceland authorities was registered to a private box in an upmarket Auckland suburb.

Iceland closed down a terrorist website believed to be used by jihadist organisation, according to the authority responsible for the country’s internet domain name ‘.is’, Agence France-Presse reported.

The site “khilafah.is” – which internet in Iceland Inc (ISNIC) said was run by a group calling itself Islamic State – was traced back to a web hosting company in Iceland at the weekend.

It was believed to have been online since mid-September.

The address listed on its domain registration is a private box in Farnham St, Parnell. ISNIC said it had “suspended domains that were used for the website of a known terrorist organisation”.

Several other websites with similar names which IS militants claim to have established in parts of Iraq and Syria already exist in other countries and without clear links to the group, AFP said.

Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11341989

Money laundering probe into a wealthy businessman.

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An alleged money laundering probe into a wealthy businessman has been triggered …. following the collapse of companies connected to an Albany based project – the collapse involving $9 million in deposits owed to investors.

The money-laundering case against the businessman is linked to an alleged $129 million fraud. No criminal charges have been laid yet against the man, according to his lawyer, who said his client denies any wrongdoing.

Detectives raided the businessman’s luxury [Auckland Central] penthouse in August and seized at least $40 million of assets using the Criminal Proceeds Recovery law, which essentially forces someone to prove how an asset was paid for.

Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11341308

Filming a neighbour costs B&B man $7,000

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A New Plymouth man who set up surveillance cameras to catch vandals has run foul of the Human Rights Tribunal.

Bradley Naughton has been ordered to pay $7000 to a neighbour who claimed his privacy had been invaded.

The tribunal decision detailed how Naughton and his wife moved into a home on Havelock Place, Blagdon, in 2010 and turned it into a bed and breakfast.

The tribunal said Naughton was initially friendly with neighbour Kelly Armfield, but in time the relationship soured.

For full story see: Taranaki Daily News 11 October, 2014

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/10604888/Filming-a-neighbour-costs-B-B-man-7k

Harmful Digital Communications Bill

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In June 2014, Parliament’s Justice and Electoral Select Committee reported back to Parliament on the Harmful Digital Communications Bill introduced last year and recommended amendments to toughen up the legislation.

The recommendations included a higher maximum penalty for the new offence of “causing harm by posting a digital communication” to be raised from three months in jail, or a $2000 fine, to two years in jail. This would bring the sentence in line with other harassment offences.

“…we recommend amending subclause 18(2) to provide for a maximum penalty for an individual of six months’ imprisonment or a $5,000 fine, and $20,000 for a body corporate; and amending subclause 19(3) to increase the maximum penalty for an individual to two years’ imprisonment…. We would like to emphasise that the penalties we propose are maximum penalties; a Judge would impose a sentence proportionate to the nature of the offending in each case.” (Committee Report – Commentary on proposed amendments to the Bill)

University of Canterbury law professor Ursula Cheer said individuals targeted online could pursue civil action on the grounds of defamation. [Read more…]

Listed Chinese firm targets Lochinver and other NZ farm assets

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The National Business Review reported yesterday in its lead story:

The goal posts have shifted in the deal to buy Lochinver Station with a second Chinese company now involved in the overseas investment application process.

NBR ONLINE has learned Shenzhen-listed Hunan Dakang Pasture Farming is raising capital to acquire the New Zealand acquisition vehicle from Shanghai Pengxin Group.

The deal includes 16 Crafar farms and the 75% stake in Canterbury’s Synlait Farms, already acquired by Shanghai Pengxin, and also the potential acquisition of Lochinver, a 14,000ha property near Taupo….

Wellington man David Lane, who writes on the blog “Society for Promotion of Community Standards” [SPCS] says the recent delays lack transparency.

“The OIO [Overseas Investment Office] clerarly instructed Shanghai Pengxin to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in New Zealand as an appropriate vehicle to purchase the Lochinver Station”.

Lane says if Dakang is now buying that subsidiary through An Yuan Dairy, the scheme runs counter to what the OIO requested.

‘Some 45% of the ownership of the assets will be in the hands of those who have not been scrutinised by OIO”.

Source: National Business Review. Story by Chief Reporter Duncan Bridgeman. 26 September 2014

For full article see: http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/listed-chinese-firm-targets-lochinver-and-other-nz-farm-assets-db-p-163047