28 September 2012

Greens call in the cops over illegal GCSB spying

The Green Party has lodged a complaint with the Police over the Government Communications Security Bureau’s illegal interception of Kim Dotcom’s communications, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

“The Neazor Report clearly concludes that the GCSB had no authority under the GCSB Act to intercept the communications of Mr Dotcom and Bram van der Kolk. Both the Neazor Report and the Prime Minister’s public statements have repeatedly labelled the GCSB’s actions illegal,” said Dr Norman.

“The GCSB appears to have breached s216(B) of the Crimes Act, which bans interception of private communications.

“That is the same law that John Key claimed Bradley Ambrose had breached in the so-called ‘teapot tapes’ affair,” said Dr Norman.

After John Key and John Banks were recorded by cameramen Bradley Ambrose having a conversation in a public café in front of the nation’s media in which they discussed political issues, Prime Minister Key called in the Police saying it was a “matter of principle”. The Police raided media outlets in the final days before the election to prevent the recording’s publication.

“I am asking the Police to investigate the GCSB’s illegal spying on Mr Dotcom and I call on the Prime Minister to support that investigation,” said Dr Norman.

“When he was taped in a public café by a media person discussing matters of public interest, Mr Key kicked up an almighty fuss and had Police raid media outlets to make sure the tape wasn’t released.

“If Prime Minister Key really feels so strongly about a person’s right to privacy, then he should back my call for the Police to investigate the illegal surveilling of New Zealand residents by a government spy agency.

“The seriousness of the concerted and purposeful spying on private persons by government spies is orders of magnitude greater than the teapot tapes ever were.

“Bill English’s statements this morning show the GCSB’s illegal actions would have been swept under the carpet if they hadn’t become public. That isn’t acceptable in a democratic society.

“Our spies are subject to the laws of this land. They must be held accountable by the Police and the Courts when they violate those laws,” said Dr Norman.

ends

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