Media Release: Search and Surveillance Submissions a sick joke

From: October 15th Solidarity
Date: 14 October 2009

"Is it an act of provocation and arrogance or just simple ignorance that the Justice and Electoral Select Committee is meeting on the 15th of October to hear submissions on the Search and Surveillance Bill?" asked Peter Steiner of the October 15th Solidarity Group.

Two years ago to the day, New Zealand woke to the so-called 'Terror Raids'. Police Operation 8 was in full swing; Ruatoki was locked down, a school bus was stopped, other children were held in sheds and over 60 different places across the country were raided. 17 people ended up remanded in custody. It took a month for all of them to get bail.

"This bill legalises the dodgy and arguably illegal police tactics used in Operation 8. It is not at all extreme to suggest that this law creates a police state. The Parliamentary response to police breaking the law should not be to retrospectively legalise what they have done and give them more power."

Referring to the recent release of many SIS files, Peter Steiner said, \"People have been appalled at the information contained in SIS files, they find it ludicrous that children as young as ten were followed. However, what is often over-looked is the fact that many of us are regularly under surveillance by the police, as proved in Operation 8 files.

"If the Bill comes to pass," Peter Steiner said, "the laws in this land will be fundamentally altered."

Peter Steiner explained that the Search and Surveillance Bill will allow more enforcement agencies to use more surveillance devices. It will also allow more searches without warrants. And very chillingly, the right to silence is removed.

"Using an Examination Order," he explained, "someone can be ordered to go to a certain place to answer questions from the police. People will be ordered to report for interrogation, if they do not talk, they can be charged."

At the time of the raids, there was public disbelief at the rampant state paranoia that obviously existed. There was shock at the level of police surveillance, including the knowledge that thousands of people's TradeMe accounts were looked at. And there was deep disgust expressed at the actions of the police in Ruatoki. Many people were offended by the police erecting a road block on the confiscation line.

Now, two years later, whilst some of those people caught up in the raids are commemorating the event with 'Explosive Expression', an art exhibition in Wellington, others will be in Parliament on the 15th presenting submissions against the Search and Surveillance Bill.

Some of the people caught up in the road block have contributed art work to Explosive Expression and are in Wellington this week.

"We invite people to visit the art exhibition at Thistle Hall." said Peter Steiner. "But we also ask people to speak out against the Search and Surveillance Bill. This Bill must be stopped."

13-17th October: Explosive Expression - Creative Resistance to the State Terror Raids of October \'07 at Thistle Hall Gallery. The exhibition features amazing work from over 50 artists including Gil Hanly and Tame Iti. A video of the artworks is available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBUVa_bp3n8

For more info visit: www.October15thSolidarity.info

ENDS

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