Zen and the art of greening the government
Democracy, protest, and what makes this the first ever progressive New Zealand MMP government.
activism
Spying
The Yellow Peril?
What’s with the academic panic epidemic about China? Two in our media in the same week, referencing each other with vague warnings about the Chinese bogey. It’s not quite Lionel Terry in Haining Street again; more likely in my view a case of singing to someones else’s geopolitical tune. No prizes for guessing whose.
National MP Jian Yang was investigated by SIS for possible ties to Chinese Government
Newsroom and the Financial Times have reported that National MP Dr Jian Yang was educated at a Chinese University specialising on training spies and was investigated by the SIS for possible links to the Chinese Government.
Digitally shaping the election
Social media offers a rich tool for profiling voters and targeting election advertising or informal messaging. There’s a good piece on RNZ today looking at the issue. How long before we see the methods used by Brexit and Trump campaigns employed in NZ?
Did English break the law during Dotcom debacle?
David Fisher on the Dotcom spying debacle: “But the legal action which disclosed the extended spying also targets English specifically, saying he acted “unlawfully” when he signed a ministerial certificate intended to bury the spying operation forever.”
NRT: Spying for the whales
I/S at No Right Turn: “spies are corrosive of our values. Its one thing to spy in wartime, out of military necessity. Its quite another to do it in peace, on your friends, for self-advantage.
MSD and our privacy
National’s plans for our privacy and access to social services are a perfect cocktail of over-reach and incompetence.
Vault 7: CIA Hacking Tools Revealed
Some very quick initial thoughts on expected reactions.
Social investment meets the surveillance state
First they came for the budgeting services. Now we know that every social service agency has to provide clients’ private personal data to […]
The CIA files on NZ
The release online of a trove of declassified CIA documents includes several pertaining to NZ. The Herald’s David Fisher has given us a fine summary.
Refreshing honesty from English
English – “One of New Zealand’s benefits is because we’re a long way away and fairly small we don’t attract too much attention.” Nice contrast to the usual Nat hysterical style. I guess there’s no need for all that domestic spying apparatus then?
To protect whistleblowers…
One of the claims made by Edward Snowden was that there were no effective channels in the NSA to whistle blow to. This claim appears to have been spectacularly validated thursday with a POGO report that the NSA’s Inspector General, its final whistleblower protector, has been suspended for retaliating against another whistleblower.
NRT: Against anti-whistleblower laws
I/S at No Right Turn does great analysis of legislation. His coverage of the new spying laws has been excellent. Here he is on National’s clumsy and misguided attempt to re-impose official secrets. Criminalised for reading The Guardian?
Spy vs Us
Today National introduced a bill that will enable the NZ Government to spy on its citizens.
Another Key lie is why this government can’t be trusted with increased spying powers
When caught abusing new powers the response will be the same as when caught out abusing the old – meh, so sue us.
NRT: Bill English wants to end your privacy
I/S at No Right Turn the “data supermarket” and privacy concerns. “The government wants to be able to effectively spy on and database everyone, so they can save a few dollars here and there.”
NRT: Our fearmongering Prime Minister
I/S at No Right Turn on the “jihadi brides” lie. “This sort of shit is why we cannot trust our spies, or the Ministers who “oversee” them…”
New report on GCSB spying powers
A Government-ordered review of NZ’s spy agencies has just been released. Key wants Labour’s support for increased power to spy on Kiwis.
Your Favourite Conspiracy Sucks
The return of the X Files has got me thinking. Just how hard is it to keep a big conspiracy secret? Happily, a British scientist has the answer; it’s bloody hard. More or less impossible, actually, according to his new formula. It seems the truth really is out there.
The great big list of John Key’s big fat lies (UPDATED)
How many more lies will John Key tell today in his so-called State of the Nation address? Virtual chocolate fish to whomever guesses the closest number.
CERT: the partial privatisation of the GCSB
A public private organisation with the acronym CERT was announced this week along with the new cyber security strategy. CERT’s role is to provide information to government so it can protect against cyber threats. Which is one of the roles of the GCSB.
CORTEX Trojan horse?
The government plans to roll out a new “cyber security action plan”. Given their record of secrecy, lies, and misuse of surveillance, I think we the people would be naive to believe this will be anything less than another escalation of the surveillance of New Zealanders.
Paris as an excuse for more useless surveillance
The Paris attacks are being used as an excuse for another ill informed debate about surveillance and encryption – which doesn’t address the communication channels that terrorists are actually using. The tools that our governments want can be used very effectively to spy on you and me though (as Key effectively acknowledges in passing).
The threats facing NZ
Some buzz this morning about an official list of six “threats” facing NZ. For some reason most of the actual threats aren’t on the official list.
NRT: The SIS is unfit for purpose
I/S at No Right Turn writes on today’s IGIS report: “The overall picture is that SIS is a mess and highly resistant to change…”
“A creeping authoritarianism from the current government”
The reaction to Westpac handing over Nicky Hager’s data to police is still playing out. Rob Hosking observes “a creeping authoritarianism from the current government”.
The (gradual?) decline of American empire
Col. Lawrence Wilkerson was Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell. And he says that the American empire is in decline.
NRT: Rubberstamping surveillance
I/S at No Right Turn on the “poor job the courts are doing of overseeing surveillance”.
‘Forgot’ NSA spying
Well who among us hasn’t forgotten a massive illegal domestic spying programme?
NSA bulk collection ruled illegal
In the US a federal appeals court has just ruled the NSA’s bulk collection of phone records is illegal.
GCSB and fabricating the ‘truth’
Someone is trying to fabricate the ‘truth’, but it isn’t Snowden and the people reporting him.
Spying on China
So great, now we’re trying to spy on China. What could possibly go wrong?
Spying for torturers
The most disturbing allegations yet in the Snowden leaks on the activities of the GCSB.
Attack on Unite
“Unite Union’s office robbed, trashed”. WTF?
John Oliver and Edward Snowden on surveillance
The brilliant John Oliver on the Patriot Act and surveillance. Includes a face to face interview with Edward Snowden, and extensive discussion of dick pics.
Media Take – on GCSB and spying
Check out the most recent Media Take (Tuesdays on Maori TV), on the GCSB and the consequences of our Pacific spying.