Politics

activism

NRT: Evidence: The NSA is funding the GCSB

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 12 comments

Last week, The Intercept published details on the NSA’s programs with partners to tap international communications cables. Most of the article focused on a program which seems to involve Denmark and Germany, with each helping the NSA to spy on the other. But buried in one of the background documents – the US “black budget” for Foreign Partner Access Project – was this titbit. It turns out that second parties in the five eyes program like the GCSB are funded from the USA. So, “our” spies take foreign money to work for a foreign power.

The spirit of ’35

Written By: karol
Date published: - 50 comments

Jan Logie’s post: “Work  and Income – stories from hidden people” is a must read:  stories from a divisive society, under a callous government that benefits the few at the expense of too many. We can do much better than that.  Vote for change this election!

John Key: a tale of two ‘truths’

Written By: karol
Date published: - 34 comments

John Key claimed he didn’t know about the big shift in the US-NZ surveillance relationship in 2009.  Now he claims he always likes to be fully briefed on intelligence matters. Robert David Steele points the way from  such anti-democratic governance & misinformation, to an open source everything revolution.

Two worlds: banksters; NZ child poverty

Written By: karol
Date published: - 253 comments

Al Jazeera outlines the dubious ethics of Goldman Sachs and the oligarchy it supports.  They don’t give a shit about the lives they damage, or the resulting increases in inequality. The Nation interviews call for increasing public pressure on politicians to tackle NZ’s appalling child poverty.

Spy law changes & telcos exposé

Written By: karol
Date published: - 13 comments

Vodafone has made public the extent of the use of spying via their systems, done by state agencies in several countries including NZ.  NZ state agencies have revealed the amount of warrants issued prior to the passing of the GCSB and TICS laws late last year.

Digital speed cameras & mass surveillance

Written By: karol
Date published: - 30 comments

The main NZ news outlets are reporting on the new digital speed cameras about to be progressively installed around the country.  They fail to report on the potential of the cameras to be used for mass surveillance.

Spying on the left: 20th century “dirt files”

Written By: karol
Date published: - 56 comments

Secret files have been released, that document the spying of Labour/left politicians in the early-to-mid 20th century: Savage, Fraser, Nash, Sutch, Sir Dove Meyer Robinson.  The NZ establishment has a long history of treating the left as a threat. [Update: “Dunne over” by spy review]

Key-Fletcher nexus: anti-democratic ‘Intelligence communities’

Written By: karol
Date published: - 47 comments

Campbell Live pointed to a massive, integrated shift in NZ governance under John Key’s watch. This enhances the power of international trade and commerce, incorporating the GCSB the US, & 5 Eyes . At the centre of this shift, is the murky relationship between John Key & Ian Fletcher.

The smoke & mirrors of the surveillance-military-economic-complex

Written By: karol
Date published: - 29 comments

There are a range of issues, which are part of a GCSB-intelligence-surveillance-military-complex. Some significant elements seem to be posing as diversions from other parts of the complex, and the way all parts hang together. What will he offer Obama to advance NZ’s position in the TPPA?

Campbell Live: Fletcher, Key, Clapper et al

Written By: karol
Date published: - 208 comments

Campbell Live broadcast a special on the GCSB.  It is presented information never before made public. Campbell pointed to how a major shift in NZ and 5 Eyes’ approach to intelligence. Whose interest is the GCSB operating in?  Why has John Key mislead us, or at least, fudged the details? Updated.

“Banks vs Mud”

Written By: karol
Date published: - 134 comments

John Banks murky past, including his metaphorical mud throwing at other politicians, came back to haunt him today: this as he headed into court to stand trial, accused of filing false electoral returns in an Auckland Mayoral campaign. Update: TVNZ report; Update #2: In court today

Marama Davidson: candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau

Written By: karol
Date published: - 40 comments

Marama Davidson, is on the Green Party list & is a candidate for the Tāmaki Makaurau seat.  Davidson is a really promising up-coming politician.  She is committed to working for people, communities, the environment, democratic process, & strongly supports wahine, Māori & young people.

Cunliffe interacts on Tuesday evening (rescheduled)

Written By: lprent
Date published: - 45 comments

Update: Rescheduled for Tuesday 5:30.
David Cunliffe will taking some time to write a post and engage on comments about it tomorrow evening. The topic will be about David’s “vision for New Zealand and how we get there”. The post may be up earlier, but the earliest that David will be able to respond will be about 5:30pm and then only for a limited period of time. The post’s comments will be fully moderated, so read the rules in this post about what is acceptable.

Remembering forestry workers

Written By: karol
Date published: - 15 comments

The deaths of forestry workers are outrageous & sad.  Helen Kelly has campaigned extremely well for change.  An international day of remembrance yesterday, a procession on parliament today – a belated govt Bill that is an improvement, but does not go far enough.

From slum-house to mega-man: Mana-TIP connections

Written By: karol
Date published: - 405 comments

There’s a lot of media attention on the negotiations between Mana & The Internet Party (TIP).  Mana aims to link with some other parties. Some high profile people are scheduled to speak to Mana.  Is Dotcom’s focus on his poor childhood genuine or a PR strategy? [Update#2: Sunday, NZ Herald – green light for negotiations]

September 18th

Written By: Bill
Date published: - 46 comments

The 18th of September 2014 is a big day.

On that day, people living in Scotland will decide if they want to become citizens in a nation that will have reclaimed its sovereignty.

Bugger the polls!

Written By: karol
Date published: - 83 comments

Auckland Against Poverty protest the Young Nats Ball and Paula Bennett’s war on the poor.  Steven Joyce is cynical about the polls. A Stuff poll shows everything that is wrong with the media’s poll beat ups.

Rogernomics, income inequality & gender politics

Written By: karol
Date published: - 22 comments

All of us, in our diversity, can make a big impact this election year. Time to end the “neoliberal” tyranny!  Crime stats are celebrated masking the continuing impact of income & social inequalities. Rogernomics fractured gender politics & rape crisis intiatives.

The Politics of Small Green Fences

Written By: Guest post
Date published: - 43 comments

I arrived at the TPPA protest march in Wellington the intent of making my voice heard. The protest started well – enlightening speakers, a funny MC and raucous chanting. However, when we got to parliament, the march was confronted by a waist-high green fence blocking our way up seven stairs to the main courtyard in front of the parliament. How we dealt with this seemingly insignificant obstacle does not bode well for the political left in New Zealand.

Patricia Grace takes on RONS

Written By: karol
Date published: - 48 comments

The Kapiti Expressway is one of the National government’s RONS projects:  it makes no sense economically.  It is destructive to the environment and the local communities. The NZTA is attempting to run roughshod over ancestral lands, including that of writer, Patricia Grace.  She is taking a stand.

NRT: Blowback

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 6 comments

“The vast scale of online surveillance revealed by Edward Snowden is changing how businesses store commercially sensitive data…”  “A survey of 1,000 business leaders from around the world has found that many are questioning their reliance on “cloud computing” in favour of more secure forms of data storage as the whistleblower’s revelations continue to reverberate.”

Highlighting the income gap

Written By: karol
Date published: - 84 comments

A high proportion of Kiwis know that there is too big an income inequality gap. Economic power & media discourse too often work to maintain such inequalities.  How can knowledge and understandings be changed via the media, social media and creative political action?

Walking the talk – protests Sat 29 March

Written By: karol
Date published: - 63 comments

Tomorrow Today: Support the important Day of Action across NZ against the TPPA – the TPPA is anti-democratic, pro-corporate & will make life harder for ordinary Kiwis; Support the NZEI demonstrations in Auckland & Wellington, for a living wage, for an excellent public education system, against poverty that undermines education. [Update: photos & reports]

Corporates for TPP

Written By: karol
Date published: - 47 comments

Big (US) Pharma has been the leading lobbyist that has shaped the TPP, followed by corporates in the following industries; Hollywood, automobile, textiles, dairy. This makes the TPP a major threat to the interests and well-being of Kiwis. Good reasons to take part in next Saturday’s Day Of Action (29 March 1pm) across NZ.

NRT: A global cyberwar against everyone

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 14 comments

The latest NSALeak: the NSA is deliberately spreading malware on a massive scale to spy on everyone. This isn’t the sort of targeted operation they aimed at Belgacom – its effectively a global cyberwar against everyone. They infected 100,000 computers already, and they plan to infect millions – well beyond any possible number needed strictly for “national security”. Why? So they can pwn you

Stand up for fairness in & for NZ – TPPA, March 29

Written By: karol
Date published: - 6 comments

International, cronyist, corporate capitalism skews democratic processes in NZ, making it harder for the majority of battling Kiwis to get a fair go – harder to ensure all New Zealanders live in a society that works for them. The TPPA is a power-play between the US and other powerful countries.  There’s nothing in it for NZ. National Day of action March 29th, 2014.

Five Eyes, One Network

Written By: karol
Date published: - 60 comments

Edward Snowden revelations indicate that the US NSA pressured the NZ government to make last year’s hasty changes to the GCSB and TICS laws, to enable mass surveillance.  John Key sometimes denies he knows of visits to NZ by the NSA’s Gen Keith Alexander – but Key would have to approve the visits.

NRT: Did the NSA write John Key’s spy bill?

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 16 comments

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden gave evidence to the European Parliament last week about the NSA and mass-surveillance. The most interesting revelation? The NSA’s use of lawyers to subvert other countries limits on surveillance – including our own. So what did GCSB receive “legal guidance” on? What about the careful loopholes in the new Act

Glen Innes ‘war zone’

Written By: karol
Date published: - 52 comments

A  photo/video documentary project in March Metro Magazine shows Glen Innes as a war zone.  The National Government’s war on the poor continues with the sales and removal of state housing.  Protest this evening at Glen Innes.

The surveillance state online

Written By: karol
Date published: - 9 comments

The leaks by Edward Snowden show many ways state surveillance agencies can workaround the legal requirements placed on them.  Selwyn Manning explained about the “Two Hop” surveillance of online targets.  On Intercept Glenn Greenwald explains the information about the use of “online covert operations”. [Update Andrea Vance on NZ spy tactics]

NRT: So much for Parliamentary oversight

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 13 comments

When Parliament in its select committee oversight role asks the GCSB about whether it is obeying the Public Finance Act, or whether it has formal NSA moles in its organisation, then suddenly its an “operational matter” which they can’t answer. The natural conclusion: they do and there are – because if either allegation was false, they’d just deny it. Looks like John Key’s assurances about greater parliamentary oversight over the GCSB are a lie.

Rock star – “No depression”

Written By: karol
Date published: - 104 comments

Popular songs can capture the heartbeat of communities.  “Rock Star” economy”?  Or “No Depression in New Zealand”?  A song that links the NZ of Muldoon & John Key. “History Never Repeats”?  Who has pulled up the ladder & who wants to replace ladders with something more accessible to all?