NZ protesters condemn GCSB ‘spy bill’ and spooks centre with Pacific targets

A young mother with a ‘nothing to hide’ placard during the ‘spy bill’
protest in Auckland today. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

Thanks to the Pacific Media Centre's report on Pacific Scoop

THOUSANDS of protesters took to the streets in New Zealand today to demonstrate against a government communications agency accused of spying on Pacific nations, including Fiji, and proposed law giving it greater powers to spy on NZ citizens.

More than 1000 people protested in central Auckland outside the Town Hall, including internet millionaire Kim Dotcom who is a vocal opponent of NZ's Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB).

Big crowds gathered in protest staged in 11 other cities and downs against Prime Minister John Key's proposed "spy bill", which would give extra powers to the GCSB.

The legislation is likely to be passed in Parliament after United Future's Peter Dunne confirmed earlier this week that he would back the controversial bill after changes that have been widely condemned as "window-dressing".

Once passed into law, the bill would extend the powers of the GCSB to allow it to provide information for the New Zealand Police, Defence Force and the Security Intelligence Service.

Cora stirs ripples in Pacific pond

Cora Fabros dropped into New Zealand a week ago on the first stage of her tour exposing the impact of foreign military bases on sovereignty ... especially for indigenous peoples. She may not have made a mark yet in the mainstream media, but she has certainly stirred some ripples in the South Pacific pond. She is no stranger to New Zealand, having been here on several occasions with her previous Nuclear-free and Independent Pacific work. Nowadays lawyer Fabros is Asia-Pacific coordinator of the Manila-based International Network for the Abolition of Foreign Military Bases. She is a guest of NZ's Anti-Bases Campaign and is visiting spy bases around the country - including Waihopai (above), the base that attracted international attention when Ploughshare protesters sneaked into the site in a daring "raid" and deflated one of the large inflatable domes covering a radar dish. Comments by Cora reported in today's Marlborough Express:
"Information gleaned by the Waihopai Valley spy base is giving the United
States an unfair economic advantage ...
"Fabros described April's attack as a "very creative" way of bringing
attention to the facility.
"I really admire the courage of our friends who did this."
"She said Waihopai was ... spying on the communications of the Pacific Islands and the
information was part of the pool of data used by the US.
"That to me is very deceptive and a violation of the sovereignty of
independent nations."

Cora is speaking at the Pacific Media Centre on Thursday, July 17, 5-6.30pm, WT032, AUT Tower, Ground Floor, AUT University, Auckland (opposite Aotea Square). Don't miss the chance to hear her. More info? Contact Del Abcede: (+649) 921 9388.

• Flyer info
• Anti-Bases Campaign
• Spy base data violates sovereignty, says activist
• Ploughshares penetrate Waihopai base, deflate dome