[LINK] NZ makes car-microdots mandatory

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

DataDot Technology Limited
Australian Stock Exchange Announcement
4 May, 2007

New Zealand Government Confirms Mandatory Whole-of-Vehicle-Marking Policy 
Using Microdots

The New Zealand Government announced yesterday that whole-of-vehicle 
marking (WOVM) using microdots will be mandatory for all newly imported 
vehicles that are under 15 years old and are light-passenger vehicles 
with nine seats or less. This is approximately 200,000 vehicles a year.

This announcement confirms the earlier policy decision of January 2005 in 
the light of cost-benefit calculations recently completed by the Ministry 
of Justice, Land Transport New Zealand, New Zealand Police and Ministry 
of Transport.

The announcement further confirms that the mandatory WOVM policy will now 
proceed immediately to the implementation phase.

The Government expects that mandatory WOVM will commence in the first 
half of 2008, the exact date to be determined by the Director of Land 
Transport. Before commencement, but after publication in the Gazette of 
the final WOVM rules and procedures, a period of six months will be 
allowed for the market to become familiar with the prescribed 
requirements.

Mr Ian Allen, CEO of DataDot Technology Ltd, said, “We are very pleased 
but not at all surprised that the New Zealand Government’s cost-benefit 
analysis of mandatory WOVM has confirmed its earlier policy decision. We 
can now proceed with our plans to invest this capital, confident that 
mandatory WOVM will proceed at a not-too-distant commencement date.”

The full text of the New Zealand Government announcement follows:


** New scheme aims to counter vehicle thefts **

The Government is introducing a mandatory new identification system for 
all new and used vehicles imported into the country in an attempt to 
reduce vehicle thefts and to catch criminals who steal cars, Police 
Minister Annette King and Justice Minister Mark Burton announced today.

Called whole of vehicle marking (WOVM), the system assigns a unique 17 
digit vehicle identification number to each vehicle upon importation into 
New Zealand. These numbers, in the form of microdots, are placed on overt 
and covert parts of the vehicle to make it more difficult to alter the 
vehicle’s identity, and to make it easier to recognise and identify 
stolen vehicles and parts.

Mark Burton says the new initiative is part of the Ministry of Justice 
created vehicle crime reduction programme. It will apply to all light 
passenger vehicles with nine seats or less and under 15 years old.

It is anticipated that the new system will come into effect in about a 
year, and from then on it is expected that about 200,000 vehicles a year 
will be required to have WOVM applied before they can be registered and 
sold. The existing vehicle fleet will not be required to have WOVM 
applied.

Annette King says the new scheme will speed up police investigations into 
vehicle theft. “It will also disrupt organised crime networks as the sale 
of stolen vehicles and their parts are a major way of funding such 
networks. It will also make it easier to solve other crimes, such as 
identifying vehicles involved in hit and run incidents when a part is 
left behind at the scene”.

Ms King says stolen vehicles are often involved in dangerous police 
pursuits and any reduction in the number of stolen vehicles on the road 
should also make roads safer. “Sometimes we also have a situation where 
vehicles are partly rebuilt using stolen parts and this can impact on the 
safety of the vehicle.”

Mr Burton says WOVM will result in court cases against those charged with 
vehicle thefts being resolved more quickly because of the standard of 
evidence that the new scheme offers. “It can be a time consuming and 
costly exercise now to bring evidence before the court and WOVM will speed
up the process.”

Before the new scheme comes into effect a number of changes to the new 
and used vehicle entry certification processes need to be made in order 
to incorporate the certification and application of WOVM. (snip)

Contacts: (Annette King’s office) John Harvey (04) 471 9305, John 
Saunders (04) 470 6851; (Mark Burton’s office) Kallon Basham (04)471 9738.
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(Usual disclaimer re any financial involvement)
Cheers all ..
Stephen Loosley
Victoria, Australia