6 May 2014

Key’s law allows more GCSB spying on New Zealanders

The Prime Minister’s new spy laws reward the GCSB with significantly greater powers to spy on New Zealanders, despite overwhelming evidence of failure at the agency, says the Green Party.

“John Key has rewarded this incompetent and underperforming Government agency with more spying powers,” said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman.

“Despite no independent inquiry into the illegal activity at the GCSB, the Prime Minister has jumped straight to giving the GCSB greater powers to spy on New Zealanders.

“Normally if you stuff up you get penalised or have restrictions placed on you. John Key has gone the other way by rewarding incompetence at the GCSB with a greater right to spy.

“John Key’s spy law makes it easier for the GCSB to spy on New Zealanders and offers almost no additional oversight to ensure they act within their legal parameters in the future.

“The Prime Minister will now be the person giving the OK for the GCSB to spy on New Zealanders. That function should be held by the courts, not a political figure.

“The proposed law offers no parliamentary oversight of GCSB operational matters, and locks in the cosy relationship between the GCSB and the Prime Minister’s office.

“In other countries parliamentary committees have the ability to force spy agencies to give testimony on operational. This law fails to give our Intelligence and Security Committee such powers.”

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