The New Zealand Centre for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Law is set to officially launch at the University of Auckland Law School.
The Centre is the realisation of discussions that have taken place over several years. It will be under the directorship of retired district court judge, Dr David Harvey. He says ICT is becoming more common, and the law needs to reflect that.
“Information and communications technologies are becoming more and more a part of the everyday life of New Zealanders. The impact of these new technologies on the law and vice versa need to be examined,” he says.
The Centre encompasses three main strands of activity:
- The development of teaching programmes in the ICT field and a postgraduate paper is currently in development. It is planned that there will also be specialist modules for law practitioners to keep them up-to-date with new legal developments in the ICT field.
- The field of research and the development of ICT policy based on a solid evidential foundation. An examination of the operation of the Harmful Digital Communications Act is already underway.
- To design and develop an on-line electronic moot courtroom as a teaching facility for students, as an advocacy training centre, and as a place where lawyers, judges and court staff can familiarise themselves with new technologies for use in the Courtroom before “going live.”
“We look forward to assisting in the Law Commission's up-coming review of the Search and Surveillance Act, and the Privacy Act is coming up for review towards the end of the year. The impact of technology in these areas is considerable,” says Harvey.
“This is a long term project.