New Zealand Government About To Legalize Spying On NZ Citizens 216
Flere Imsaho writes "After admitting they have illegally spied on NZ citizens or residents 88 times (PDF) since 2003, the government, in a stunning example of arse covering, is about to grant the GCSB the right to intercept the communications of New Zealanders in its role as the national cyber security agency, rather than examine the role the GCSB should play and then look at the laws. There has been strong criticism from many avenues. The bill is being opposed by Labor and the Greens, but it looks like National now have the numbers to get this passed. Of course, the front page story is all about the royal baby, with this huge erosion of privacy relegated to a small article near the bottom of the front page. Three cheers, the monarchy is secure, never mind the rights of the people. More bread and circuses anyone?"
Still illegal under NZ Constitution (Score:5, Insightful)
But, hey, that doesn't stop the UK, Canada, Britain, or Germany from doing the same thing in violation of their Constitutions, either.
Re:jesus H christ. (Score:5, Insightful)
I think I am going to be violently ill.
It isn't "potential abuse of power", when it is being reported AFTER THE FACT!
Giving those people MORE power to abuse, after they have already demonstrated that they cannot be trusted with the powers they have already obtained, is beyond incomprehensible!
Seriously, all NZ has to do is point a few of those major headlines out, and say "No thank you USA. We would be happy to assist you, LEGALLY, in any LEGAL investigation you may have, but the requests you send us must obey OUR soveriegn rights and laws. Since you seem to have a hard time following even your own laws, we can't really honor your requests for additional intelligence at this time, since the requests you keep sending us are clearly illegal and unconsionable."
But NO! The line of the day? Handwringing, squirming in their chairs like they have super 'roids, sweating, and heatedly whispering among themselves asking each other how they can break the law!
WTF!
Re:Still illegal under NZ Constitution (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Neither NZ or Australia are real nations (Score:2, Insightful)
The Yanks, for instance, are currently bombing the hell out of natural Australian resources...
Uh, four inert bombs on a small section of the GBR is "bombing the hell out of your natural resources"? After listening to Aussie lesbians drone on and on about how horrible the US is at a party once in Tokyo its no surprise to me that some subjects of the common wealth tend to over-blow anything that has to do with the US. Especially when its bad, of course. I'm not saying the jettison was a great idea, but COME ON.
Re:Dialog (Score:4, Insightful)
NZ is not worried about China. China is a better neighbor to us here in NZ than the USA. NZ does far more trade with China than the USA. Kiwi's general opinion of China & the Chinese is higher than the general opinion of USA & Americans. For obvious reasons, I might add.
Apologies (Score:5, Insightful)
As a New Zealand Citizen I would like to offer my deep heartfelt apologies to every other country of the world for expanding the powers of our secret police and destroying and semblance of privacy in New Zealand. I offer these apologies as this is not who we are as a society. Our Government is not representing the will of it's citizens, as was indicated in a recent poll which indicated that a vast majority of New Zealanders did not support the legislation. It is legislation being put in place to wipe out the balance of power; to enable tyranny in our country. They cannot permit people to stand up to them as Kim Dotcom did. This is not the example I want to make to the world. We pride ourselves on our integrity and independence. This legislation is submission to power, it is a disgrace and a treason against the national interest.
Re:Still illegal under NZ Constitution (Score:4, Insightful)
"But, hey, that doesn't stop the UK, Canada, Britain, or Germany from doing the same thing in violation of their Constitutions, either."
Why are you excluding the United States? The US government has been doing its own astounding circumventions of our Constitution as well.
Take just for one very relevant example: the illegal, retroactive immunity granted telcos for illegally allowing the government to listen in on your communications.
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"No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed." -- U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Sec. 9.
Re:Neither NZ or Australia are real nations (Score:3, Insightful)
laughably, NZ once 'banned' visits by vessels carrying nuclear weapons- a hilariously naive concept but one the powers-that-be were prepared to allow the population to think was true
And what US military ship has docked at NZ since? The US even claimed to go so far as to have no presence in NZ (so said an old newspaper article), despite a current US military base in Christchurch as a jumping off point for US Antarctic operations.
Re:New Zealand is always in the forefront (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Still illegal under NZ Constitution (Score:4, Insightful)
Their constitutions/laws generally have fewer restrictions than US laws, and NSA-like spying has been commonplace in Europe.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/how_they_do_it/2006/02/wiretapping_europeanstyle.html [slate.com]
The outrage in the US is over the fact that the NSA and the president are trying to get around the letter and intent of the Constitution and the law. In many other countries, it's more a policy issue, not a question of legality.
Bread and circus (Score:5, Insightful)
The real bread and circus is not the royal baby, it is the war.. the "war on terror". George Orwell was a genius in predicting that a perpetual war would be the excuse to bring in the police state. Even 10 years ago, I thought Orwell's idea of the perpetual war was a bit fantastic. Now it is so on the money, it is scarily prescient.