Yearly Archives: 2013

Oped published in the New Zealand Herald on 18 December 2012 By Keith Locke The Dotcom case is focusing more attention on the Government Communications Security Bureau and its association with...

Keith Locke is a former Green MP (1999-2011). He is known...

I am including here the link to my first contribution to The Daily Blog, a new left political/cultural blog. Other regular contributors to the blog include Chris Trotter, Jane...

My contribution to new Daily Blog today is an appeal for Prime Minister Key, currently visiting Latin America, to go to Hugo Chavez's funeral, with all the reasons why.

“John Key’s decision not to go to Hugo Chavez’s funeral on Friday (Latin American time) is a mind-boggling political blunder.”

“Drones, by contrast, can take video of places we expect to be private, like enclosed backyards, or bedroom windows that cannot be seen from the street or a neighbour’s property. Small, quiet, low-flying drones will be particularly dangerous in this respect.”

“Under pressure, Mr Key now says he expects there will be a shakeup at the GCSB. But we need much more than that. We need a comprehensive independent inquiry, with public input, to critically examine not only the GCSB’s competence but also its worth to New Zealand.”

There needs to be a strong public reaction every time New Zealand officials think they can act as censors for the Chinese government.

However, it is hard to accept that the GCSB unknowingly violated the Government Communications Security Bureau Act 2003 when it simply and explicitly says the GCSB is only allowed to spy on foreigners. Kitteridge says the agency spied on 85 New Zealanders between April 2003 and September 2012.