New Zealand Parliament Narrowly Passes Controversial Spying Law
Source: Bloomberg
New Zealands parliament passed a controversial law that will give the nations foreign intelligence agency greater spying powers.
Legislation giving the Government Communications & Security Bureau the ability to spy on New Zealanders was passed by 61 votes to 59 in Wellington today. The law was prompted by revelations that the GCSB illegally spied on Kim Dotcom during a U.S.-led operation to close his Megaupload website on piracy charges last year.
It comes as the U.S. and U.K. governments face accusations of mass cyber surveillance after leaks by former U.S. national security contractor Edward Snowden. Dotcom, an outspoken opponent of the new law, clashed with Prime Minister John Key during a parliamentary hearing on the legislation last month.
The law is morally indefensible and would set New Zealand on the same path as the U.S., Dotcom said at the hearing on July 3. We should avoid blindly following the U.S. into the dark ages of spying abuse.
Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-21/new-zealand-parliament-narrowly-passes-controversial-spying-law.html
DissidentVoice
(813 posts)John Key is a right-winger...with a very thin mandate in Parliament. His National Party holds 59 of 122 seats.
New Zealanders should not stand for this...write your MP's and write the Governor-General to use the Reserve Powers of the Crown to stop New Zealand from going down this dark road.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)DissidentVoice
(813 posts)That is, if New Zealanders get off their collective back end and petition their MP's and the Governor-General.
wysi
(1,512 posts)The deciding vote was cast by an almost-disgraced MP who was just recently embroiled in a scandal. I'm certain he will be repaid handsomely.
DissidentVoice
(813 posts)...for the legislative process, and, what's more, for New Zealanders in general.
wysi
(1,512 posts)... the Labour Party leader resigned this afternoon. Rumour had it he was going to be removed anyway...
DissidentVoice
(813 posts)Downwinder
(12,869 posts)Had a US government official tell me: "We don't worry about the law, we make the law."
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)This is his second term. He has a narrow mandate.