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Continued from: National’s disdain for taking responsibility
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Acknowledgement: NZ Herald: PM’s hacking claims a distraction – Labour
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When Dear Leader’s comments regarding “weapons of mass destruction or weapons delivery systems” hit our TV screens, our entire household’s immediate reaction was to burst out into derisive laughter.
Surely, there is no f*****g way that this idiot could get away with justifying increasing the GCSB’s power’s to spy on us by claiming that foreign spies were engaged in acts of espionage to “acquire New Zealand science and technology for programmes relating to weapons of mass destruction or weapons delivery systems”?!?!
Aside from the fact that we are a Nuclear Free Nation – enshrined in law – what other “weapons of mass destruction” is he referring to; chemical weapons? Bacteriological weapons? Super-Duper Hyper-Atomic Disintergrating Death Rays?!?!
No wonder the news-readers on TV1 and TV3 had barely concealed facial expressions that indicated, “Yeah, we don’t believe this bullshit either – but we’re paid to read you this crap, so go make a cuppa coffee or sandwich or feed the cat or something constructive, ‘cos there’s five more minutes of this masterbatory fantasy…”
If New Zealanders buy into this bovine faecal matter, then we are a nation that is truly thicker than I thought possible. Mind you, it seems that at least eight people outside of the National Nuthouse Brigade who are willing to go along with this outrageous exercise in bullshitry,
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Acknowledgement: Radio NZ – NZ First offers support for spy law changes (16 April 2013)
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Unbelievable.
Also surprising is that ACT has gone along with this exercise in the growth of State surveillance power.
Isn’t ACT supposedly the Party that advocates smaller government and less intrusion in our lives?
Having the the vast array of electronic gadgetry that the GCSB posesses, with a budget of over $100 million a year (see: Judge who watches the watchers), giving the Bureau even more power to surveil us and intrude into our lives seems a pretty funny way for a supposedly neo-liberal Party to be pushing for smaller government?!
But I guess that kind of inconsistancy is what keeps ACT under 2%, and right-wingers as a source of jokes for comedians.
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It seems extraordinary that Dear Leader wants to extend the GCSB’s powers, when they are already unable to comply with their current legal obligations.
The Bureau wasn’t even able to supply Key’s “go-fer” girl, Rebecca Kitteridge, with documents she demanded as part of her so-called ‘investigation’,
But in the report, Ms Kitteridge states that there were “many basic documents that I have been unable to find, and that others at the GCSB have struggled to find for me”.
But what she says is that she couldn’t find some files, and nor could GCSB staff. Mr Key however says it is wrong to assume files were deliberately withheld.
“What she’s saying is they struggled at times to access information – that will indicate there will be areas of where it was filed incorrectly, or it wasn’t kept on file, or it wasn’t kept at all,” says Mr Key.
“She has access to all of the information that is there. If it’s not there, then obviously she cannot access it. There may be reasons for that – others may want to present a different view, but she’s the person who’s been charged with the responsibility to go in there, has had Crown Law and the full support of the new director behind her.”
Acknowledgement: TV3 – Key rejects GSCB cover-up
Key’s gobbledegook explanation doesn’t ring true. He may get away with talking to primary school kids like that, but for the rest of us – he’s talking crap.
And this bit is hilarious,
Mr Key says he appointed Mr Fletcher to improve the day-to-day running of the GCSB to prevent mishaps like this from happening, saying the agency needs “significant bulking up in the management”.
Does Key really expect us to buy this horse manure,
Mr Key also rejects claims the Government is planning to change the law to give the GCSB the right to assist police and the Security Intelligence Service in spying on New Zealanders. He says the changes are just a “clarification” of the current law, and the GCSB’s powers “in a lot of ways don’t change”.
Key uses the excuse that by not extending the GCSB’s powers that somehow that would leave us open to all kinds of threats; terrorism, cyber attacks, alien invasion…
“As prime minister I am simply not willing to do that. To do nothing would be an easy course of action politically, but it would be an irresponsible one.”
Acknowledgement: Fairfax media – Sweeping GCSB changes announced
Funnily enough, New Zealand has survived quite nicely without givcing the GCSB powers to spy on us. We already have the Police and SIS with more legal powers of surveillance than most Kiwis realise.
It’s getting rather crowded with the number of State agencies allowed to peek into our private lives.
Key insists that part of the deal with NZ First is that in return for supporting the Bureau’s extension of their powers, that there will be more “safeguards” and “oversight” of the spy agency,
“I think GCSB should be able to provide agency support for NZ SIS under the right conditions, and with the right oversight.”
Acknowledgement: NZ City – PM denies inconsistency over GCSB woes
Funny…
Up until now, the GCSB has supposedly had plenty of over-sight.
The Prime Minister is responsible for the GCSB. It one of his portfolio’s,
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Acknowledgement: Parliament – Current MPs, John Key
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So… How’s that been working out so far?
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References
NZ Herald: PM’s hacking claims a distraction – Labour (16 April 2013)
Dominion Post: Key sexing up intelligence, says Shearer (16 April 2013)
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= fs =
The only WMD in this country is the government.
National’s emails? Perhaps they’re concerned that they’ll be ‘stolen’ again.
“acquire New Zealand science and technology for programmes relating to weapons of mass destruction or weapons delivery systems”?!?!
That’ll probably be the trigger mechanism for the tamarillo trebuchet defence system.
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