Stop the TICS Bill - public meeting

Public meeting: Stop the TICS (Telecommunications Interception Capability and Security) Bill

7 pm, Monday, 23 September, 7pm
Old St Paul's Church, Mulgrave St, Wellington

Speakers:

• Seeby Woodhouse (Orcon founder)
• Jane Kelsey (Law professor)
• John Minto (Global Peace and Justice Auckland)
• Thomas Beagle (Tech Liberty)
• Vikram Kumar (Mega CEO)

Hosted by Global Peace and Justice Auckland

GCSB Bill Passes

The GCSB and Related Legislation Amendment Bill was passed on the 21st August; now it just awaits the royal stamp of approval. One month after getting royal assent the three Acts that make up this Bill – the new GCSB Act, the updated Inspector General of Intelligence and Security Act, and the Intelligence and Security Committee Amendment Act, will all be law.

It has been a long time in this country since a bill has failed to gain 'royal assent', but even though in 'modern law' 'royal assenting' appears to be just rubber-stamping, legal experts say that the governor-general can withhold assent. For those who believe in the legal route, it would be good if this Bill could be the one that fails at the last hurdle.

For once this Bill becomes law, the three Acts that it includes will join a long line of laws recently passed in the name of 'protecting and strengthening state security'; these laws include the Terrorism Suppression Act, the Maritime Security Act, the Border Security, the Aviation Security Act, the Telecommunications Interception Capability Act, the SIS Act, the Police Act, and the Search and Surveillance Act. Soon, not only these three Acts passed tonight will join this list, but also the Telecommunications Interception Capability and Security (TICS) Bill. The 'TICS' Bill is set to be reported back to parliament on 30th September.

These laws and Bills are a threat.

The government keeps mentioning the 'terrorist' and attacks on cyber-security as being the great threats, but the reality is the threat comes from the state. Surveillance is oppressive, violent and controlling. These laws and bills protect and strengthen the apparatus of state surveillance, state control and state repression. We must fight them any way our conscience and principles allow.

These laws need to be stopped.

Third and Final Reading - 21 August

The third and final reading of the Bill will probably be today, Tuesday 6th August, between 4 and 6pm. The public gallery will be open to the public.

People are meeting at the Cenotaph at 3pm to 'put the nails in the coffin of democracy'.

If you are unable to attend, the reading of the Bill can be listened to on the radio or watched on Parliament TV.

We wish to reiterate that instead of the GCSB bill being passed into law today, we should be accepting John Key’s resignation.

Enough spying lies, John - resign now.

Media Release: Enough spying lies, John - resign now.
From: Organising Against State Intelligence and Surveillance (OASIS)
Date: 21 August 2013

“Instead of hearing of the GCSB bill being passed into law today, we would like to be accepting John Key’s resignation for the lies and obfuscations he has used to bolster his case for more spying,” said Anna Thorby on behalf of OASIS, “but sadly it will be like a lot of his other statements and reassurances that he makes in relation to state surveillance—meaningless hot air.”

This week John Key told reporters that he and his friend, Ian Fletcher, would resign if the GCSB undertook mass surveillance. But without missing a beat, he said that that would not happen as the only way it would be possible was if the GCSB were to undertake illegal activity.

“If John Key meant what he said, why didn't he resign when it became public knowledge that the GCSB had spied illegally on Dotcom, his family and his work associates? Instead his Deputy Bill English tried to cover up the entire thing. How is anyone to know if the GCSB is acting illegally since we cannot find out any meaningful information about the agency through the so-called ‘oversight.’ It was only the diligence of Dotcom’s lawyers and the insistence of the court that the GCSB’s criminal acts were exposed. The GCSB has undertaken illegal activities, and we have every reason to believe that they will continue to do so.”

Update: Reading of Bill delayed

Radio NZ reports that further debate about the GCSB Bill and the subsequent third reading has been delayed and probably won't happen until August 20.

At yesterday's debate, Peter Dunne was not waivering in his support for the Bill, still claiming that the Henry inquiry's spying on his and Andrea Vance's emails had nothing to do with state spying powers. He also continually claimed that his amendments to the Bill have addressed all the criticism that has come from the likes of the Law Society and others, and that there will be nothing to worry about once the changes have been adopted.

Also in yesterday's debate, the Attorney General Chris Finlayson claimed that the Law Society had no undertsanding of the law.

Hopefully this delay will give people more time to do some protesting...

GCSB Bill

Part One of the GCSB Bill was debated Tuesday and will continue this week.

Protests continue against the bill and include:

Action: Wednesday 3pm, (07/08/13), outside GCSB HQ, Pipitea House, Wellington

Surveil the Surveillers - Unmask the Spies - come dressed in a trench coat, wear dark glasses, bring a surveillance camera, masks and a whistle or two.

Pipitea House houses an interesting group of people, including not only the GCSB but also the Department of Minister and Cabinet (DPMC), the National Assessments Bureau (NAB), the Combined Threat Assessment Group (CTAG) and the Security and Risk Group (SRG). CTAG includes representatives from the Police, the GCSB, the Security Intelligence Service (SIS), the New Zealand Defence Force, Maritime New Zealand and the New Zealand Customs Service.

Action: Thursday (08/08/13) approximately 3pm, Parliament.

The Bill will probably be having its third and final reading. Attend Parliament, go to the Public Gallery - be a witness.

And of course: contact MPs (National, John Banks and Peter Dunne) and urge them not to vote for the Bill.

GCSB BIll Being Debated Tues night

In a rushed move National is trying to push through the GCSB bill tonight, Tuesday 6th August. They are currently debating the bill. The public gallery is open or the debate can be listened to here: http://www.radionz.co.nz/parliament
or watched  on Parliament TV.

Media coverage of yesterday's meeting

Radio NZ's report about the meeting last night can be found here.

Protest the GCSB

The GCSB Bill will have its third and final reading this week - probably on Thursday. Once that's done, it's basically law - it'll just be waiting for royal assent. But people are still fighting.
 
At Monday's public meeting in Wellington, the following activities were planned:

Action: Tuesday 2pm, (06/08/13), at Peter Dunne's home: 31 Box Hill, Khandallah  in the Ohariu Electorate.

Put Dunne's home under surveillance

"The vulnerability of the GCSB Bill will be tested tomorrow at a protest against Peter Dunne.
Organisers of the protest have spoken to Peter Dunne's neighbours, who say they are also against the new spying powers of the GCSB Bill."

Action: Wednesday 3pm, (07/08/13), outside GCSB HQ, Pipitea House, Wellington

Surveil the Surveillers - Unmask the Spies - come dressed in a trench coat, wear dark glasses, bring a surveillance camera, masks and a whistle or two.

Pipitea House houses an interesting group of people, including not only the GCSB but also the Department of Minister and Cabinet (DPMC), the National Assessments Bureau (NAB), the Combined Threat Assessment Group (CTAG) and the Security and Risk Group (SRG). CTAG includes representatives from the Police, the GCSB, the Security Intelligence Service (SIS), the New Zealand Defence Force, Maritime New Zealand and the New Zealand Customs Service.

Action: Thursday (08/08/13) approximately 3pm, Parliament.

The Bill will probably be having its third and final reading. Attend Parliament, go to the Public Gallery - be a witness.

And of course: contact MPs (National, John Banks and Peter Dunne) and urge them not to vote for the Bill.

Nothing to hide - everything to fear

Public meeting: Looking at surveillance beyond the GCSB Bill

Nothing to Hide ... Everything to Fear is the title of a public meeting being hosted by OASIS. The GCSB Bill is just one of the latest in a line of law changes that are expanding and normalising state surveillance.

In recent years there have been many legal changes attacking our rights in the name of security, these include the Terrorism Suppression Act, Maritime Security Act, Border Security, Aviation Security Act, Telecommunications Interception Capability Act, the SIS Act, the Police Act, the Search and Surveillance Act and now back to round two of the GCSB Act and the Telecommunications Interception Capability Act.

All these laws bring in more surveillance and in NZ that is primarily the role of the police, the SIS and the GCSB. Over the years every one of these state agencies has acted outside of their briefs. Every time their illegal activities become public knowledge, there are changes in the law to legalise their activities and / or to expand their powers. What is happening with the GCSB Bill is a case in point.

It is time to say enough is enough – for one of the greatest threats to our security is actually ever-increasing invasion of our privacy. Surveillance is the threat.

Speakers

• Helen Kelly (CTU)
• Thomas Beagle (Tech Liberty)
• Kate Dewes (Peace Campaigner)

Monday, 5 August, 6pm
St John’s Hall,  Willis St/Dixon St