Why do NZs Spy agencies need PR spin drs?

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Andrea Vance once again proves why she’s one of the country’s best journalists with this blistering account of how our intelligence agencies are taking PR tips from our 5 Eye big brothers.

The ever brilliant No Right Turn points out the PR tactics the intelligence community are taking to spread their propaganda that there is no mass surveillance…

  • NZIC has been conducting “regular polls” to get a view of how the public sees them and massage their messages. Naturally, we’re paying for this.
  • They have been briefing “key editors/journalists” to “clarify incorrect assumptions” and on “values, threats, staff”. We’re paying for this too.
  • They’ve been deliberately placing editorials on cyber security incidents, and are seeking an international commentator or expert to talk up the threat of foreign fighters.
  • They’re planning a “museum exhibition” which will “help deliver our key messages”. While the venue has been redacted (for “negotiations”), its almost certainly Te Papa. So, our national museum will be hosting an explicit government propaganda exhibition.

…why are we allowing the spy agencies to gather polling information to con us into believing they’re benign when they’ve already been caught out breaking the law again? The millions in extra budgets, the hundreds of millions in NSA hardware and software, the passing of mass surveillance laws, using the SIS to smear the Leader of the Opposition months before an election, giving the SIS warrantless searches, giving the Police vast new retrospective search and surveillance powers and on top of that we have to pay for the bloody PR campaign as well?

Cue the propaganda…

Serious cyber attacks surge, GCSB figures show

Rare speech by GCSB head torpedoed by protesters

More seek shelter from cyber attacks

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Cyber-attack targets on govt officials, telco company revealed by GCSB

Spy boss seeks to reassure Kiwis

That’s right folks, the GCSB isn’t a stooge for America and doesn’t feed all it’s info directly to the NSA for their own purposes, it’s really a giant cuddly anti-virus system that keeps your computer safe.

As Chris Trotter pointed out about The Listener’s recent PR fluff piece on the GCSB…

Was it Listener editor, Pamela Stirling, who came up with the idea? Or, did free-lance journalist, Rod Vaughan, pitch it to her? And was the deal clinched by the promise of access to all three chiefs? And whose idea was that? At some point, someone in the “intelligence community”, decided that a front page story about a “revolution” sweeping the corridors of Pipitea House would be just what the Director ordered. The question is: was that decision made in response to Rod Vaughan’s request for access? Or did someone make Rod an offer that he – and Pamela – couldn’t refuse?

Because a front-page story in the Listener, reassuring the Baby-Boomers that the SIS and GCSB are now being run by people just like themselves, was bound to prove very helpful – especially now. That’s because a Government-commissioned review of both agencies, led by Sir Michael Cullen and Dame Patsy Reddy, is about to start asking questions. A cynic might observe that Rod Vaughan’s article has very helpfully suggested most of the answers.

What is there to fear, after all, from an SIS staffed by scores of bright-eyed young university graduates determined to keep New Zealand safe from “extremist behaviours”? Or, a GCSB run by someone who understands the importance of reminding “the troops” to “remain focused on the job at hand and to remember their responsibilities to all New Zealanders.”

…We have allowed the Intelligence communities in NZ to grow at an alarming rate with unchecked powers. The GCSB and SIS have both had increases in budget by 250% and 174% within a decade and consider how on top of the GCSB and SIS that we also now have the  Organised Crime Intelligence Unit, Financial Intelligence Unit, Strategic Intelligence Unit, National Bureau of Criminal Intelligence, Identity Intelligence Unit, Threat Assessment Unit, Police Terrorism Investigation and Intelligence Group the Special Investigation Group and let’s not forget all the military intelligence as well.

That’s multi-millions spent on intelligence for very little acumen, brilliance, intellect, judgment, perception, savvy, sense, skill, understanding, wit, acuity, alertness, aptitude, brainpower, brains, brightness, capacity, cleverness, comprehension, luminosity or smarts.

How and why a corporate hacking group like Hacking Team have been able to set up so many spy servers in NZ without these questions being asked…

1. Why does Hacking Team have 7 servers in NZ?

2. What work are they doing for NZ government departments in the wake of the mass surveillance law change?

3. How ethical is it to use a corporate hacking team that work with repressive regimes?

4. If they are employed by NZ government departments, what oversight is there on them and who are they answerable to?

5. Why would a corporate hacking team have so many servers in NZ?

6. What if any information they obtain is available to anyone else?

…is an indictment on us all.

The ease with which our fellow citizens are manipulated is the true shock.

1 COMMENT

  1. NZ spy agencies need spin doctors to assist them lie convincingly (watch FJK in action for proof of that point), thereby deceitfully justifying their shameful, dirty activities against NZers and our Pacific neighbours!

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