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

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Government Spy Agency Watchdog A Waste


David Small and Aziz Choudry
PO Box 1905
Christchurch

MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE

13 June 2000

Government Spy Agency Watchdog “complete waste of time and taxpayers’ money” – Complainants call for abolition or radical overhaul

On the third anniversary of the first report into complaints against the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) investigated by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, the people who lodged the complaints have called for the office to be abolished or radically overhauled.

Aziz Choudry and David Small say that the office of Inspector-General as it is currently constituted provides no real oversight or accountability and is a complete waste of the public's time and the taxpayers’ money.

"If they want a rubber stamp, there are much cheaper ways of getting them," they said. To demonstrate their point they have sent the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition a copy of page 955 of the Christchurch Yellow Pages - the rubber stamp section.

In June 1997, without confirming SIS involvement in the bungled break-in at Mr Choudry’s home, the Inspector-General, retired High Court judge Laurie Greig, found it to be “lawful, reasonable and justified”. He added that it was "not unreasonable" for the Police to search Dr Small's home the following week. Both actions were subsequently found by the courts to be illegal after Mr Choudry and Dr Small took private law suits against the SIS and the Police.

Another aspect of their complaint - that SIS agents may have planted the hoax "APEC bomb" outside the Christchurch City Council offices - was also not properly investigated by the Inspector-General, who simply took the word of the Director of the SIS on the matter.

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.

"The office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security has proved woefully inadequate", said Mr Choudry and Dr Small.

“Frankly many in the media have played a far more effective, independent and responsible role in the scrutiny and oversight of New Zealand intelligence agencies than any statutory body.”

"At the very least there must be reliable, politically independent and effective mechanisms of oversight and accountability. An ineffective watchdog is arguably worse than no watchdog at all."

Mr Choudry and Dr Small claim that they were encouraged by Helen Clark (then Leader of the Opposition) to lay complaints with the Inspector-General and given an informal assurance at the time that, if the complaints process proved wanting, Labour would revisit the adequacy of the oversight mechanisms.

"The Inspector-General got it completely wrong", they say, "and now it is time to do something about it.”

For further comment contact David Small at (03)3373353 or (025) 208 4160
or Aziz Choudry (03) 3662803

© 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.