Stronger snooping laws 'driven from overseas'

By EUGENE BINGHAM

American fears of terrorism and crime are behind attacks on New Zealanders' civil liberties, says researcher Nicky Hager.

Parliament is considering law changes extending police and spy agency surveillance powers, which Mr Hager has linked to wish-lists drawn up by international organisations.

Papers he obtained under the Official Information Act show New Zealand police or Security Intelligence Service officers have attended meetings of the International Law Enforcement Telecommunications Seminar (Ilets) and other groups committed to "preserving lawful interception" of communications.

Mr Hager believes commitments made at these meetings are behind two law changes that will force telecommunications firms to help agencies execute interception warrants and smooth the way for detection of emails, faxes, text messages and digital cellphone calls.

He told a conference organised by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner that the "intrusive surveillance plans" were copies of law changes in other countries.

"Increasingly, in a re-run of Cold War thinking, the rationale for new security-surveillance moves is not to protect New Zealanders but because of the tenuous concern that New Zealand not be able to be used as a base for criminal or terrorist actions against the United States and other allies.

"In other words, New Zealanders' civil rights are being reduced because of security fears in other countries," said Mr Hager

Associate Justice Minister Rick Barker dismissed the claims, saying he did not know anything about Ilets.

"There is no international conspiracy here ... It's simply driven by police and Parliament acknowledging that the means by which people communicate have changed.

"If we don't extend those powers to text messages, faxes and emails we're simply guaranteeing to criminals a secure means of conducting their business without the interference of police. This would be nuts."

But the documents released to Mr Hager reveal years of liaison between New Zealand authorities and Ilets and other overseas groups, including the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio).

Ilets and Asio have sent follow-up letters asking for progress on law changes.