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New Organisms And Other Matters Bill (Consistent) (Section 26(2)) [2003] NZBORARp 13 (26 March 2003)
Last Updated: 4 November 2020
New Organisms And Other Matters Bill
26 March 2003
Attorney-General
Preliminary Legal Advice
New Organisms And Other
Matters Bill:
Consistency With The New Zealand Bill Of Rights Act
1990
INTRODUCTION
- We
have considered the New Organisms and Other Matters Bill (PCO 5072/4) for
consistency with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990
(the "Bill of Rights
Act"). We understand that the current intention is for this Bill to be
considered by the Cabinet Legislation
Committee at its meeting on Thursday 3
April 2003, although there is a possibility that the Bill may be submitted
directly to Cabinet
on Monday 7 April 2003 for approval.
- The
New Organisms and Other Matters Bill amends the Hazardous Substances and New
Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO). We have been asked to
consider this Bill under an
urgent timeframe as the passage of the Bill is required to coincide with the
expiry of the moratorium
on the release of genetically modified organisms. The
moratorium expires on 31 October 2003. We understand that further amendments
to
this Bill are to likely be made to reflect any decisions of Cabinet in relation
to the Treaty of Waitangi (proposals to address
this matter are expected to be
considered by Cabinet Policy Committee on Wednesday 2 April 2003).
- We
are providing you with this preliminary advice based on the most recent version
of the Bill that we have available to us. We will
provide you with further
advice as soon as we receive the version of the Bill that is to proceed to the
Cabinet Legislation Committee.
- The
Bill does not appear to be inconsistent with the rights and freedoms affirmed by
the Bill of Rights Act. However, the Bill does
raise one issue that we wish to
draw to your attention.
Overview of the Bill
- The
New Substances and Organisms Bill seeks to implement key recommendations made by
the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification.
Amongst other things, the Bill
gives effect to recommendations to improve the procedures for approving genetic
modification of new
organisms in laboratories and the approval of the
conditional release of new organisms. The Bill also includes new enforcement
provisions
under HSNO establishing a regime of pecuniary penalties and civil
liability.
- The
Bill is also to address a number of operational issues under HSNO and related
enactments.
Issue of consistency with the Bill of Rights Act
- The
Bill introduces a regime providing for pecuniary penalties and civil liability
for breaches of HSNO. The making of a pecuniary
penalty order does not bar
subsequent criminal proceedings and conviction in relation to the same conduct.
We have considered whether
the potential for a person to be subject to two
separate penalties in relation to the same act or omission raises a prima facie
inconsistency
with section 26(2) of the Bill of Rights Act (the right not to be
tried or punished for an offence twice).
- In
particular, the proposed section 124E(1) provides that criminal proceedings for
a breach of HSNO[1] can
be commenced whether or not proceedings for a pecuniary penalty order under new
section 124A of HSNO have been started or an
order made in respect of the breach
for which criminal proceedings have commenced. New sections 124E(2) and (3)
respectively provide
that proceedings for a pecuniary penalty order cannot be
completed if related criminal proceedings have been commenced or if the
person
has been convicted of an offence for a breach for which an order is sought.
- The
majority of the Court of Appeal in the leading case on 26(2), Daniels v
Thompson[2] made it
clear that section 26(2) must be read as referring:
Only to criminal
proceedings relating to an offence against the law, for which the person has
been tried. What is prohibited is further
trial for the same offence, that is a
trial which may also result in acquittal or conviction. The provision is not
concerned with
a trial which may result in a form of civil liability.
- On
this basis, we consider that new section 124E is not inconsistent with section
26(2) of the Bill of Rights Act as a pecuniary penalty
order is not a punishment
for the purposes of section 26(2).
CONCLUSION
- We
have concluded that the Bill as currently drafted does not appear to be
inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act. We will provide
you with further
advice as required. In accordance with your instructions, we attach a copy of
this opinion for referral to the Minister
of Justice. A copy is also attached
for referral to the Minister for the Environment, if you
agree.
Allison Bennett Principal Legal Adviser
|
Boris van Beusekom Legal Adviser
|
cc Minister of Justice
Minister for the Environment
In addition to the general disclaimer for all documents on this website,
please note the following: This advice was prepared to assist
the
Attorney-General to determine whether a report should be made to Parliament
under s 7 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990
in relation to the New
Organisms and Other Matters Bill. It should not be used or acted upon for any
other purpose. The advice does
no more than assess whether the Bill complies
with the minimum guarantees contained in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. The
release
of this advice should not be taken to indicate that the Attorney-General
agrees with all aspects of it, nor does its release constitute
a general waiver
of legal professional privilege in respect of this or any other matter. Whilst
care has been taken to ensure that
this document is an accurate reproduction of
the advice provided to the Attorney-General, neither the Ministry of Justice nor
the
Crown Law Office accepts any liability for any errors or omissions.
[1] The offence
provisions are found in section 109 of
HSNO.
[2]
Daniels v Thompson [1998] NZCA 3; [1998] 3 NZLR 22
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