Serious Fraud Office Amendment Bill
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is the government agency that investigates major financial crimes. This bill updates the rules about how the SFO can search for evidence. It lets investigators search computer systems and online storage, apply for search warrants more quickly (including by phone), and allows courts to consider a wider range of factors when deciding whether evidence gathered improperly can still be used in a trial. It does not change who can be investigated — it just updates the tools investigators use.
What this affects
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The bill gives the Serious Fraud Office updated powers to search digital systems and makes it easier for courts to decide whether improperly gathered evidence can be used in fraud trials.
The Director may, by application in writing, apply for a warrant to search any place or other thing specified in the application.
a remote access search means a search of a thing such as an internet data storage facility that does not have a physical address that a person can enter and search
an issuing officer may allow an application for a search warrant to be made orally (for example, by telephone call) or by personal appearance
No information… obtained as a consequence of the exercise of any powers conferred by this Act that have been declared to be unlawful… are admissible as evidence in any criminal proceedings if the evidence is excluded under section 30 of the Evidence Act 2006
Progress through Parliament
Have your say
This bill is open for public submissions to the Justice Committee. Anyone can tell the committee what they think, and you don’t need to be an expert. Submissions close 7 June 2026.
Bill text sourced from legislation.govt.nz (Parliamentary Counsel Office). Arapono’s summary and breakdown are drafted with AI grounded in that official text and reviewed by an Arapono editor for accuracy and neutrality before publishing. Arapono is non-partisan and takes no position on this bill.