Crypto Party

A Crypto Party in Wellington:

When: Saturday 26th April 2014, 7pm, 

Where: Enspiral Space, Level 2, 18-24 Allen Street, Te Aro

A Crypto (encryption) Party is an opportunity for people to learn how to keep their online lives private and free from surveillance. It should be a fun-filled evening talking about and practicing email encryption as well as learning programs such as Tor and TrueCrypt.

A CryptoParty is free, public and fun. People bring their computers (but not essential), mobile devices, and a willingness to learn! There will be special trainers on hand to show people how to install and use the software.

CryptoParty is a decentralized, global initiative to introduce the most basic cryptography software and the fundamental concepts of their operation to the general public.

John Key's new Top Secret Special job

Did you attend Aorangi School or Burnside High School? Do you remember John Key from Kindergarten or did your mother know his mother?

If so, this may be the chance of your life to strike it big. John Key is looking for that special person to fill a new role in his life: the Deputy Chief Executive for Security and Intelligence.

This is the first major opportunity to have “direct access” to JK since the appointment of Ian Fletcher as director of the GCSB. The job description states that “the position will be responsible for the oversight of the performance of the New Zealand Intelligence Community (NZIC), comprising the GCSB, NZSIS, and NAB” and “to ensure the Prime Minister and Ministers receive integrated, high quality advice on security issues.”

There are two requirements. The applicant must have:

• “Broad and deep experience in NZ Government.” Anyone who has had regular contact with government departments, such as WINZ, ACC, the Department of Justice or EQC is likely to meet this criterion. 
• “Top Secret Special security clearance.” If this sounds fancy, it is. This security clearance is so special and secret, there aren’t even any documents matching it because there is no security classification above Top Secret. Also, the public is not allowed to know which jobs require this clearance. If this makes sense to you, you might be the person for the job.

Warning – you will have staff responsibilities for members of organisations that have a track record of breaking the law. However, the good news is that if any illegalities become public knowledge, the law will then be retrospectively changed.

If you are interested in the position, you can apply officially through the State Services Commission or preferably directly to John Key himself. Don’t forget to remind him of your common past.

The closing date is 5pm Monday 14 October 2013.

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.