Shearer: Chain of Command, Control, and Conflicting Interests

Thursday, 27 September 2012, 4:16 pm
Article: Mark P. Williams

David Shearer: Chain of Command, Control, and Conflicting Interests

Scoop Audio+Video
27 Sept 2012
By Mark P. Williams

Labour Leader David Shearer gave a stand-up press conference this afternoon where he called for increased accountability and responsibility following the release of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security's report on the GCSB's unlawful activities in the Kim Dotcom case. He questioned the usefulness of Inspector-General Paul Neazor's inquiry, stating that its scope was too narrowly focused to address the real issues of responsibility and accountability.

Mr Shearer suggested that Mr Key was not exercising appropriate control in his capacity as Minister of GCSB and SIS; he called it "extraordinary" that the security agencies involved should either not have or not pass on, through their chain of command, information about the raids to Mr Key. Consequently, he said that, at present, New Zealanders did not have confidence in their own security agencies and that an independent and wide-ranging inquiry was needed to restore that confidence.

Mr Shearer went on to suggest that Mr Neazor's own responsibilities in his official capacity might present a conflict of interests, saying that he was potentially in the position of investigating his own actions.

The Labour leader's statements stopped short of calling for resignations.

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