6 August 2013

Dunne’s GCSB review as toothless as MMP review

A review of the GCSB, one of the amendments conceded to Peter Dunne by the Prime Minister in exchange for his crucial vote on the GCSB bill up today, is as toothless as the MMP review, the Green Party said today.

“The inclusion of an independent review of the GCSB in 2015 is an empty promise by this Government,” said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman.

“The Government’s recent response to the MMP review by the Electoral Commission shows what little respect they have for any independent review process. The MMP review was seen as a commitment by National to seriously consider changes to our electoral system, but the Government simply ignored the recommendations when they didn’t suit their own partisan political interests.

“We’re going to see exactly the same thing happen here with the GCSB legislation.

“Dunne’s amendments aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. They’re simply an attempt to distract us from how dangerous and deeply flawed this bill is. Any small improvements can’t take away from the fact that this bill is a huge leap in the intrusive powers of the GCSB.

“Nothing in Dunne’s deal limits the ability of the state to intrude into the private lives of ordinary New Zealanders.

“Mr Dunne rightly doesn’t want the Prime Minister’s department to view his emails and email logs without his permission. He should extend the same courtesy to the rest of New Zealand by opposing this bill until there has been an independent inquiry into the GCSB.

“The Green Party vehemently opposes this legislation. This bill is a poor and unjustified solution to the fundamental problems with the GCSB.

“We need a wide ranging independent inquiry into New Zealand’s intelligence services before this bill proceeds any further.

“It is ridiculous that on the day of the committee stages of the bill the Government have dropped a 39 page amendment.”

ENDS

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