29 October 2012

Police appoint senior team to look into illegal GCSB spying

Police have appointed a team of senior investigators to look into a Green Party complaint about the Government Communications Security Bureau’s illegal interception of Kim Dotcom’s communications, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.

Head of the ‘Operation Grey’ inquiry Peter Read, Detective Superintendent Southern, wrote to Dr Norman who laid the complaint under the Crimes Act.

DS Read expected an initial report on the findings mid-November.

“I am very pleased that senior police investigators have started inquiries and expect to make an initial report by November 15,” Dr Norman said.

“It is reassuring to know that police intend to interview key witnesses to get to the bottom of how a New Zealand resident was illegally spied upon.

“I hope they will interview senior police and Government ministers including Prime Minister John Key and his deputy Bill English, about their involvement,” Dr Norman said.

“Spies must be held to the same standards as other New Zealanders. They are subject to the laws of this land and must be held accountable by the police and the courts when they violate those laws.”

A QC has been appointed to provide independent oversight of the inquiry.

ENDS

police_letter_2910.pdf

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Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

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Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

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The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

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