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Opposition should be involved in new GCSB boss appointment

13 January 2015

Opposition should be involved in new GCSB boss appointment

The Green Party is calling for the opposition to be involved in the selection of a new director for the Government Communications Security Bureau following the resignation of current director Ian Fletcher today.

“Ian Fletcher was hand-picked for the role by Prime Minister John Key who he had known personally for many years, and he has been director during a period of unprecedented politicisation of the intelligence services,” Green Party security and intelligence spokesman Kennedy Graham said.

“It is crucial that there is cross party support for the appointment of any future director and that the GCSB, and its director, are seen to be scrupulously politically neutral.

“John Key compromised the neutrality of the GCSB both in Mr Fletcher’s appointment process and in the way used the bureau’s information over the past three years. He has treated the GCSB as his own personal protection service.

“By involving the opposition in the selection of a new director John Key could signal a new era of political neutrality in the run up to the statutory review of the intelligence services later this year.

The Green Party has previously called for better oversight of the GCSB with policy that a regular Parliamentary select committee replace the Government-dominated Intelligence and Security Committee, and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security become an Officer of Parliament.

“We’d like to see an overhaul of the whole security and intelligence system. But in the meantime, it’s crucial that the current system is as independent as possible and free from political interference.

“The Green Party wishes Mr Fletcher well for the future,” Dr Graham said.


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