The New Zealand government earlier this week withdrew a bill before Parliament there which would have forced Internet service providers (ISPs) to disconnect customers accused of illegally downloading copyrighted music or movies.

One aspect of the bill that civil rights advocates had real trouble with was the part about banning ‘alleged’ offenders, whether the allegations were proven or not.

However, under intense pressure from ISPs and Internet users alike, the government took back the proposed Copyright Amendment Act for revisions this past Monday.

“Section 92a is not going to come into force as originally written. We have now asked the minister of commerce to start work on a replacement section,” Prime Minister John Key told reporters on Monday.

The Act was originally due to come into eeffect the end of last month. But, with delays over the protests and and the decision to re-tool it, observers say the Act probably won’t see the light of day again for another month or so and may not be enacted for another month or so after it is reintroduced in the NZ Parliament.