Swain Forces Internet & Phone Snooping On Operators

"The government is forcing telecommunications and internet service providers to do their snooping work for them" says Libertarianz Leader and Coromandel Candidate Peter Cresswell today responding to news that the Labour/Alliance minority coalition will require all operators to make their networks capable of interception by the Police, SIS and GSCB.

Cresswell calls this "outrageous." "Not only is the Government forcing private companies to change their technology to allow the Police to intercept private communications when they have a warrant for an offence, but also paying them from tax-victim loot for establishing such capability over the next 18 months."

"Paul Swain has touted for the past two years the importance of reducing business compliance costs but is whacking a huge cost on the telecommunications sector on an ongoing business, partly offset by a charge on tax-victims".

"It would be legitimate for the Police to gain warrants to intercept communications of suspects of genuine crimes of violence and property damage over existing networks, but it is ridiculous for phone companies and ISPs to be forced to make their networks accessible to the cops. This is particularly offensive while we still have laws for victimless crimes such as drugs and prostitution".

"Besides the immorality of forcing private companies to make their property accessible to the state on demand, encryption technologies are increasingly making it technically impossible to intercept and decipher secret communications! This just demonstrates that this Labour/Alliance minority coalition government is consistent in having no regard for private property rights and a poor understanding of technology, two things none of them have ever produced!" concluded Cresswell.

It's enough to make you vote Libertarianz! ENDS

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