29 July 2013

PM has questions to answer on NZDF actions

Prime Minister John Key needs to front up and say whether he signed off on a warrant to spy on a New Zealand journalist, and if not, what was the legal basis for the surveillance, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

“Prime Minister John Key must be clear on what, if any, involvement he had in authorising spying on a New Zealand journalist,” said Dr Norman.

“In order for a New Zealand intelligence agency to gather information on a New Zealander, the Minister responsible must co-sign a Ministerial warrant.

“So the obvious question is, did John Key, as the Minister responsible for New Zealand’s intelligence services, sign an interception warrant for investigative journalist Jon Stephenson’s telecommunications to be captured by the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) or the GCSB?

“If there was no warrant, did the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) use the GCSB to illegally spy on a New Zealander? Or does the NZDF routinely spy on New Zealanders?

“These questions need to be answered. We need to know how the information about the journalist was obtained. If it wasn’t done by the NZDF, GCSB or SIS, has the NZDF circumvented Stephenson’s legal protection from New Zealand Government surveillance by using the United States Government to conduct the surveillance and then pass the information on to the NZDF?

“If this in fact was the case, then it strongly suggests that our fears around Prism were correct - that data held on New Zealanders by the US National Security Agency (NSA) via the Prism system could be passed back to the New Zealand Government.

“So which is it? Did Key authorise the spying; or did the NZDF use the US Government to get around New Zealand laws protecting New Zealanders from unwarranted surveillance? And if it’s the latter, what’s to stop the intelligence agencies doing it for the rest of us with Prism?

“John Key needs to front up with some answers and assurances that the privacy of New Zealanders is protected. He must also condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms.”

ENDS

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