An analogy

• Zetetic
• 11 years ago
• Categories: accountability, crime, democracy under attack, john key, Spying

Before the soft-headed repetition of the Nats’ line goes on too long, here’s an analogy.

The GCSB Act says “Neither the Director, nor an employee of the Bureau … may … intercept the communications of … a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident”. The Land Transport Act says “A person may not drive a motor vehicle on a road without an appropriate current driver licence”.

The GCSB’s justification for their illegal spying, that they knew they weren’t allowed to spy on New Zealanders but thought it was OK if they were acting on behalf of another agency that could, is like you not having a driver’s licence but saying it’s OK for you to drive if someone with a licence asks you to.

Try it next time you get pulled over. Tell the copper that John Key says its OK and he’s going to change the law to ‘clarify’ that.

Of course, it won’t work. In John Key’s New Zealand, it’s only the security agencies and ministers who are above the law.