On Thursday 14th April 2011 New Zealand Parliament passed the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill.

The law takes effect on 1st September 2011 and will allow the government to monitor the file-sharing activity of more than three million Internet users.

The current NZ Copyright Act will be replaced with a new three strikes system for alleged copyright infringement.

The Act requires internet access providers (not online service providers) to pass on notices to alleged copyright infringers. Internet users caught downloading movie and music downloads without authorization will be given warnings on their first two acts. On the third occasion users can be penalized up to NZ$15,000 and/or could receive a six-month internet suspension at the request of copyright owners.

The Act enables copyright owners to take expedited proceedings against alleged infringers in the Copyright Tribunal. The Tribunal will not be able to suspend infringers\' internet access at this time, though this power may be brought into force if it is shown that the regime is not reducing the level of copyright infringement by P2P file sharing.