Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

E-Mail Interception Plans Step Down Slippery Slope

E-Mail Interception Plans Another Step Down Slippery Slope

26 July 2000

E-MAIL INTERCEPTION PLANS ANOTHER STEP DOWN SLIPPERY SLOPE

United New Zealand leader, Hon Peter Dunne, is extremely wary of Government plans to allow interception of e-mail correspondence.

"It is one more step down the slippery slope of intrusion into individual rights."

"Over recent years there have been many steps taken in the name of protecting the community that have had severe implications for the individual's right to privacy, and I doubt that the cumulative effect of those measures on individual privacy has ever been properly considered."

"The furore over the digitised photographic driver's licence is a good example of what happens when technological bafflement gets in the way of common sense, and this measure risks going the same way."

"Of course, there is a legitimate balance which needs to be struck here between the rights of the individual and the wider rights of society to be protected from criminal or terrorist actions, but the way the Government is going about resolving the issue is grossly inadequate and far too ad hoc."

"With all due respects to Mr Swain, this issue is far too important to be dealt with on the basis of proposals dreamed up by a Minister and his officials and then flicked to a Select Committee for the proverbial once over before being passed into law," Mr Dunne says.

Rather, he is calling for an independent public commission to be established involving the Privacy Commissioner, Police and Intelligence authorities, civil liberties groups, the information technology industry and the judiciary to hear submissions and develop a full proposal on all aspects of individual privacy, electronic communication and surveillance and computer systems generally.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Such a commission should be required to report to Parliament as a whole, not just the Government, and comprehensive legislation developed only as a consequence of its report.

"This is a deliberately more comprehensive approach than the sort of 'quick fix' Mr Swain seems to be proposing, but is infinitely more sensible and likely to produce a fair and reasonable result," Mr Dunne says.

ENDS


© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.