The sharing of security intelligence with the Leader of the Opposition is a rare and valuable requirement in our system of government. It is a slender safeguard against the risk that the state's secret agencies may be used for partisan political purposes. The system depends on directors of the SIS dealing fairly and professionally with leaders on both sides. It also depends on both leaders resisting any temptation to use their knowledge of what the other has been told.
John Key broke that rule in July 2011, when he made it publicly known that the Opposition leader, Phil Goff, had been briefed by the SIS on Israelis who had been in Christchurch when the February earthquake struck. Mr Goff had denied being briefed and when he continued to deny it, a member of the Prime Minister's staff helped blogger Cameron Slater make an official information request for evidence held by the SIS director at that time, Warren Tucker.
Mr Tucker bears the brunt of the blame apportioned yesterday by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, Cheryl Gwyn, after an exhaustive investigation of the incident. She makes no criticism of Mr Key, and lets former political staff members Phil de Joux and Jason Ede off lightly.
But Mr Tucker, she said, was under an obligation expressed in the NZSIS Act to ensure the service "does not take any action for the purpose of furthering or harming the interests of any political party".