Spying

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NRT: Just the beginning

Written By: - Date published: 2:26 pm, December 2nd, 2014 - 59 comments

I/S at No Right Turn on current and future spying legislation. “I will not vote for a party which supports spying. Neither should you.”

SISters are doin’ it for themselves

Written By: - Date published: 2:02 pm, December 1st, 2014 - 1 comment

Got me smiling about no laughing matter!

Submit today!

Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, November 27th, 2014 - 13 comments

I/S at No Right Turn yesterday: “Yes, that’s right. An important bill with major human rights implications, and we have one day to speak up about it.” I/S supplies a submission guide to make it easy…

Islamic Extremism: not a threat

Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, November 17th, 2014 - 112 comments

Not to NZ at any rate.

Reds under the beds

Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, November 6th, 2014 - 82 comments

Governments have always used external threats (real or not) to expand their powers. Supposedly “small government” types seem the most keen to grab more powers, for some strange reason.

Turei for peace & freedom: rejects politics of fear

Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, November 5th, 2014 - 102 comments

Metiria Turei delivered a very strong speech in response to Key’s ministerial statement on national security.  I give her a standing ovation! Update #1: link to video of Turei’s speech. #2 -YT video Turei’s speech.  Link to Kennedy Garham’s speech

NRT: The GCSB has been using our embassies as spybases

Written By: - Date published: 12:26 pm, October 13th, 2014 - 25 comments

I/S at No Right Turn summarises a post from The Intercept on NSA keywords, and what they illustrate about the involvement of our GCSB.

Two tier strategy on spying

Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, October 7th, 2014 - 30 comments

Key ditching responsibility for the GCSB and SIS, and adopting the newly created title of Minister for National Security and Intelligence, is another example of the dirty politics two tier strategy.

The long reach of “5 Eyes”: re-post

Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, October 6th, 2014 - 15 comments

With Chris Finlayson just announced as minister in charge of GCSB & SIS, I thought it appropriate to re-post something I published on The Standard back in July 2013: links 5 Eyes’ attorney generals, cyber-security, Dotcom, etc.

First they sold Auckland, then the rest of NZ…?

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, October 3rd, 2014 - 28 comments

A quiet shift in a dodgy Key govt-SkyCity deal: TVNZ land, sold to SkyCity for its convention centre, is to be used for a new hotel.  Plus: non-mandated deal between Auckland Transport Authority & a US corporate – intense surveillance of Aucklanders’ diverse activities.

Surveillance in Australia

Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, September 28th, 2014 - 51 comments

Latest developments in Australia are relevant in the context of the recent focus on surveillance in NZ. What are the odds that the Nats will pass similar laws here during their current term?

My morning thoughts on the night before

Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, September 21st, 2014 - 34 comments

It will take a flax roots, bottom-up, community-based movement to rebuild democracy and a fair, caring and sustainable society.

Key’s last fig leaf

Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, September 18th, 2014 - 32 comments

Key’s last fig leaf on GCSB surveillance is to plead ignorance. Unfortunately for him the evidence is compelling. If he does manage to lead the next government, these issues will continue to haunt him.

NRT: Key admits the GCSB has broken the law

Written By: - Date published: 4:45 pm, September 17th, 2014 - 17 comments

If the GCSB has access to XKEYSCORE, and XKEYSCORE has information on New Zealanders, then arguably they’ve intercepted it even if that information has been collected by another agency, as they have “acquired” it. And if they actually look at it, there’s no “arguable” about it.

The circle is complete

Written By: - Date published: 4:16 pm, September 17th, 2014 - 139 comments

From “There’s no ambiguity. No middle ground. I’m right. He’s wrong”
to
“[Snowden] may well be right” in just 4 days. Impressive.

Jackal: A conspiracy theory too far

Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, September 17th, 2014 - 114 comments

Over the last month John Key has been displaying behaviour of being  a raving right wing conspiracy theorist. Over the weekend megalomaniacal John Key even said that he wants the governor general to stage a coup to allow him to remain in power. The Jackal summarises recent nutty right wing conspiracy theories from the PM and others.

A Matter of Simple Logic

Written By: - Date published: 4:54 pm, September 16th, 2014 - 103 comments

One of the few journalists to do his job properly over the course of the dirty politics scandal has been Guyon Espiner. He has, without in any way breaching his duty of impartiality, seen it as his responsibility on Morning Report to put questions to, and demand answers of, the Prime Minister – and, when […]

X-KEYSCORE

Written By: - Date published: 9:51 am, September 16th, 2014 - 52 comments

X-KEYSCORE

Media roundup

Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, September 16th, 2014 - 64 comments

NZ Media has got the message, leading with coverage of the Greenwald / Snowden evidence of mass surveillance of New Zealanders, and the surprise revelation of two US “spy bases” in NZ. Best coverage by Andrea Vance. Updated with a link to video of last night’s event.

A brilliant (if flawed) event – Key must resign

Written By: - Date published: 6:06 am, September 16th, 2014 - 71 comments

From Key we have changing stories, irrelevant distractions and refusal to comment. From Snowden we have compelling first person testimony and supporting documents (uncontested by any other Five Eyes leader). New Zealand is under mass surveillance.

John Key On Trial

Written By: - Date published: 4:35 pm, September 15th, 2014 - 27 comments

The latest instalment in the saga of John Key’s struggle to maintain his image as someone above suspicion has produced the amazing spectacle of a Prime Minister in free fall. Faced with the threatened revelation that he has been – not just economical with, but contemptuous of – the truth as to whether or not […]

Key changing his story (again)…

Written By: - Date published: 12:37 pm, September 15th, 2014 - 60 comments

Well well – Mr “No middle ground. I’m right. He’s wrong” is changing his story. He now admits that surveillance did go ahead…

The enablers

Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, September 15th, 2014 - 14 comments

Under pressure from Glenn Greenwald’s revelations, John Key, using various smoke screens, is starting to reveal his complicity in working with the GCSB & its 5 Eyes partners, to extend the scope of their spying. Could the Southern Cross Cable Network not have known their systems had been tapped? Update: Statement by Southern Cross Cables

Key’s reputation and the law

Written By: - Date published: 12:01 pm, September 15th, 2014 - 26 comments

An interesting article by lawyer Steven Price at Media Law Journal.  Some extracts quoted, but well worth going and reading the full article.

“Moment of Truth” – a key claim

Written By: - Date published: 7:14 am, September 15th, 2014 - 152 comments

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Glenn Greenwald is standing firm in the face of Key’s attacks and denials. A fascinating interview with Steve Braunias yesterday contains a key claim.

VRWC rises from the grave

Written By: - Date published: 8:35 pm, September 14th, 2014 - 29 comments

They’re at it again. David Farrar has a guest post from fellow VRWC member Charles Finny about FiveEyes, arguing that it’s kept us safe in foreign wars and Labour did it too. Which of course is not the point of the current debate about massive government surveillance of innocent citizens. Farrar then gets himself tangled in knots – if Dotcom is right Labour did it too – but he’s not of course says Farrar.

NRT: “National security” or “National’s security”?

Written By: - Date published: 2:18 pm, September 14th, 2014 - 35 comments

John Key - spy vs lie

information is supposed to be classified only for valid reasons of national security. The information Key wants to release is likely classified SECRET or TOP SECRET. Its worth remembering that Key and his office are already under investigation by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security for politically-motivated declassification decisions.

“Moment of Truth” – Preview

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, September 14th, 2014 - 67 comments

The positioning re Kim Dotcom’s “Moment of Truth” has started this morning.

The extent of public interest hacking?

Written By: - Date published: 11:46 am, September 10th, 2014 - 35 comments

Last year, there was a major hack, in which data from some GCSB staff, parliamentary staff, police, & others were copied & stored in various places globally.  Surveillance technologies can be used by both state agencies and its critics. Update: Some 2013 history & Anonymous

 

Why Is John Key Not Compelled to Give Evidence Under Oath?

Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, September 1st, 2014 - 75 comments

I have today sent an open letter to the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security to ask why Mr Key is not required to attend her inquiry and to give evidence under oath.  The letter is attached.

Shadow play: Key’s 2-track politics

Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, August 16th, 2014 - 40 comments

Nicky Hager’s Dirty Politics tells of the “two track strategy” of John Key’s leadership of the National Party & the country: a smiley nice front, & vicious, covert black ops behind the scenes.  Key has overseen one of the darkest, nastiest periods in NZ politics. Vote Left for necessary, democratic change, for people-centred governance.

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