The threats facing NZ

Anthony R0bins
8 years ago
Categories: Deep stuff, Spying
Tags: spies, threats

David Fisher had an interesting piece in The Herald this morning:

Spies tell John Key: The six threats facing New Zealand

…

1 Violent extremism in NZ and by New Zealanders – the report warns migration is creating communities with “distinct identities and links overseas”. It appears to reflect information the SIS has learned from Muslim communities.

2 Loss of information and data – the means by which a cyber attack is done is “easier to acquire and easy to combine with insider threats”. It poses economic and reputational risks.

3 Hostile intelligence operations in and against the country – the report warns of “industrial espionage” against companies and “targeting of New Zealanders by foreign governments”. Again, the consequence of increased migration could be linked to these concerns.

4 Mass arrivals – the entire small section is redacted, but John Key has previously spoken of concern over boat-loads of refugees making landfall in New Zealand.

5 Trans-national organised crime – drugs, money-laundering and illegal fishing are highlighted, brought about by an “open economy, the internet and established networks among migrant communities”.

6 Instability in the South Pacific – the entire section is blanked out, but the SIS has had a close focus on Fiji, its leadership and anti-regime movements in New Zealand and Australia.

Source: Briefing to the Incoming Minister, NZ Intelligence Community.

There’s a certain xenophobic thread running through that list, and an inflated sense of our own significance (“industrial espionage” makes the top 6 – really?). It’s a list about protecting wealth and privilege, nothing more. Here’s a few of the real threats that are missing:

Climate change.
Poverty.
Environmental degradation.
The socially damaging effects of inequality.
Dumbing down (the systematic decay of quality journalism and democratic participation).
Our narrow and vulnerable economic base.
The impact of technology and the changing profile of work.
Our demographic profile / superannuation.
Racism, xenophobia and intolerance.
Our short term political system and its inability to deal with long term issues.
And so on…

I would argue that most of those threats are more significant than most in the spies’ list.