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106-418: The Government Communications Security Bureau ( GCSB ) ( Māori : Te Tira Tiaki ) is the public-service department of New Zealand charged with promoting New Zealand's national security by collecting and analysing information of an intelligence nature. The GCSB is considered to be New Zealand's most powerful intelligence agency, and has been alleged to have conducted more espionage and data collection than

212-540: A Torts course to be taught during the second year of law school. This was the first course of its kind in the United States and he was granted tenure in his second year of teaching at the college. In 1972, he left to be a visiting professor at the University of Virginia College of Law. Eventually, in 1974, he was appointed to a professorship of law at Victoria University of Wellington, bringing him back to New Zealand. At

318-608: A public good (being non rivalrous and non excludable), but most are services which may (according to prevailing social norms ) be under-provided by the market . In most cases public services are services , i.e. they do not involve manufacturing of goods . They may be provided by local or national monopolies, especially in sectors that are natural monopolies . They may involve outputs that are hard to attribute to specific individual effort or hard to measure in terms of key characteristics such as quality. They often require high levels of training and education. They may attract people with

424-551: A "solemn representation" with the New Zealand Government. The Embassy claimed that China was a staunch defender of cybersecurity and firmly opposed all forms of cyber attacks and crimes. On 21 July, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta confirmed that New Zealand Foreign Ministry officials had met with Chinese Embassy officials at the request of the Chinese Embassy in response to the cyber attack allegations. The Embassy urged

530-696: A GCSB officer had also worked with the Australian Signals Directorate to spy on the Indonesian cellphone company Telkomsel . The GCSB's mass surveillance programme was criticised by opposition parties including the Green Party co-leader Russel Norman and the Labour Party leader Andrew Little , who told the press that New Zealand risked damaging its relationship with the South Pacific and that

636-571: A Gaza-bound protest flotilla in May of that year. The panel included the outgoing Colombian President Álvaro Uribe as the Vice-chair, and representatives from Turkey and Israel. The report, released on 2 September 2011, found that Israel's "naval blockade was imposed as a legitimate security measure in order to prevent weapons from entering Gaza by sea and its implementation complied with the requirements of international law," and that Israeli soldiers enforcing

742-519: A German national but New Zealand resident. By law, the agency cannot spy on New Zealand residents. The GCSB admitted that Hugh Wolfensohn, acting director at the time, knew the organisation was spying on Dotcom. It is believed Mr Wolfensohn was placed on " gardening leave " after it became clear the GCSB had made a mistake in spying on Dotcom. In December, the High Court of New Zealand ruled Kim Dotcom could sue

848-542: A better chance of winning. Palmer stated he had been prepared to lead the party to a likely defeat but was just as happy to step aside: "I was actually pretty pleased to get out at the end of 1990. I was quite happy to run through as PM and take the defeat, but if other people wanted to do it — be my guest!". Palmer also chose to retire from parliament at the election, and was replaced as the Labour candidate in his seat by Lianne Dalziel . The leadership change failed, however, and

954-526: A global initiative which aims to influence the provision of public services and infrastructure for marginalized demographics. Governing bodies have long provided core public services. The tradition of keeping citizens secure through organized military defense dates to at least four thousand years ago. Maintaining order through local delegated authority originated at least as early as the Warring States period (5th to 3rd centuries BCE) in ancient China with

1060-416: A meeting of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee that the GCSB in cooperation with other agencies had foiled three potential terror attacks. These incidents included a person making bomb threats in 2022 with "an implied ideological motivation", a New Zealand White identity adherent's concerning online behaviour, and another White identity extremist making threats to use firearms and explosives at

1166-508: A number of countries as targets of GCSB efforts, including Japan , the Philippines , Argentina , France , Vietnam , and many small Pacific island states. It also mentioned United Nations diplomatic traffic. In his book on the GCSB, Nicky Hager says that during the Cold War , the locations and activities of Soviet ships (including civilian craft such as fishing trawlers) were a major focus of

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1272-446: A private corporation runs a natural monopoly , then the corporation is typically heavily regulated, to prevent abuse of monopoly power. Lastly, the government can buy the service on the free market. In many countries, medication is provided in this manner: the government reimburses part of the price of the medication. Also, bus traffic, electricity, healthcare and waste management are privatized in this way. One recent innovation, used in

1378-496: A public event. On 21 March 2024, the Inspector-General released a report detailing how the GCSB hosted a foreign agency's signal intelligence capability that could be used to support "military operations by foreign partners" during the years 2013 to 2020, without advising any government ministers. The report found fault with the initial process of agreeing to host the capability, as well as a lack of operational oversight during

1484-469: A public service ethos who wish to give something to the wider public or community through their work. The process of assessing the needs of the people of an area, and then designing and securing an appropriate public service to meet those needs, is often referred to in the UK as commissioning . The commissioned services may be delivered by organisations in the public sector, private sector or third sector : when

1590-528: A remit endorsing a referendum on the principle of proportional representation. Palmer, however, was perceived by the public as being too closely involved with Douglas's reforms. Of particular concern to many people was his work on the legal aspects of state sector rearrangement, such as his preparation of the State Owned Enterprises Act. The presence of David Caygill (a Douglas ally) as Minister of Finance further compounded perception that Palmer

1696-707: A secret listening post, codenamed "Caprica", at the New Zealand High Commission in Honiara , the capital of the Solomon Islands . The "Caprica" outpost was reportedly modeled after the American National Security Agency 's Stateroom outposts at selected United States Embassies across the world. The GCSB is characterised by its focus on foreign intelligence gathering and is unable to collect intelligence on New Zealand citizens. Because of this,

1802-679: A speech calling for New Zealand to deploy troops to Iraq to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant . On 11 March 2015, Edward Snowden disclosed that the Government Communications Security Bureau was also using the Waihopai Station to intercept transmissions from several Pacific Rim and Asian countries including Vietnam , China , India , Pakistan , and several unspecified South American nations. He added that

1908-521: A spy agency in any country would waste their resources doing that kind of thing to Samoa." In response to these disclosures, Prime Minister John Key issued a statement on 5 March 2015 saying that he would "neither confirm nor deny" whether New Zealand's spy agencies were spying on the South Pacific. Key had earlier acknowledged that New Zealand was a member of the Five Eyes club, which included the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, during

2014-554: A time in Wellington, he attended the University of Chicago Law School , gaining a Juris Doctor in 1967. He moved from New Zealand to Iowa in August 1969 to become a professor at the University of Iowa College of Law . In his first year, he taught the newly adapted small-section courses of American Property law, Conflict Resolution, and International law. He also developed the curriculum for

2120-633: A white paper published by the Cameron–Clegg coalition in the United Kingdom in July 2011, aimed to create a comprehensive policy framework for "good public services ". It set out the coalition's programme for reform of public services, described as a programme of "wide ambitions" expected to be implemented over a period of time, not all at once. Five principles were to underlie open public services: The journalist David Boyle conducted an independent review for

2226-697: A written Constitution, taking on board the response of the public. This campaign is ongoing. Palmer was appointed a member of Her Majesty's Privy Council in 1985. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1991 New Year Honours , and made an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia in the same year. In 1991 he was listed on the United Nations Global 500 Roll of Honour for his work on environmental issues. These included reforming resource management law. Palmer also sat as

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2332-523: Is a type of public service. In modern developed countries , the term "public services" (or "services of general interest") often includes: In developing countries , public services tend to be much less well developed. For example, water services might only be available to the wealthy middle class . For political reasons, the service is often subsidized , which reduces the finance potentially available for expansion to poorer communities. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 is, however,

2438-463: The 1975 general election , Palmer took part in the " Citizens for Rowling " campaign. In a 1979 by-election , Palmer was elected to Parliament as the member for Christchurch Central , having stood as the Labour Party candidate. In March 1981 he was elevated to the shadow cabinet as spokesperson for constitutional affairs and associate spokesperson for justice. Following Labour's unexpected loss at

2544-513: The 1981 general election Palmer gained the social welfare and accident compensation portfolios. In 1983 , Palmer stood for the deputy leadership of the party. In a three-way contest, in which all candidates were from Christchurch to reflect geographical proportionality, Palmer trailed on the first ballot to Papanui MP Mike Moore . Lyttelton MP Ann Hercus was eliminated and on the second ballot almost all of her supporters voted for Palmer, who beat Moore by one vote. He became deputy Leader of

2650-587: The International Whaling Commission (IWC). Palmer continued his involvement with, and teaching at Victoria University of Wellington and was regularly engaged as an expert consultant on public and constitutional law issues. As of 2022 , Palmer is an honorary fellow in the Faculty of Law at Victoria University of Wellington, and coordinates and lectures a course on public law and constitutional values in relation to public inquiries. His son Matthew Palmer

2756-682: The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service . In December 2020, a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the mosque shootings criticised the GCSB and other security services and intelligence agencies for focusing on Islamic extremism at the expense of other threats including White supremacy. In response to the Royal Commission, the GCSB's Director-General Andrew Hampton stated that the agency was committed to making its role and capabilities "more widely understood and utilised by domestic partner agencies". Hampton also claimed that

2862-657: The Solomon Islands , Fiji , Tonga , and the French overseas departments of New Caledonia and French Polynesia . The Intercept provided documents supplied by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden , who had earlier released leaked documents relating to the surveillance activities of other Five Eyes partners including the United States , Australia , Canada and the United Kingdom . The Snowden documents show that information collected by

2968-580: The State Sector Act . He served as president of the New Zealand Law Commission , from 2005 to 2010. Palmer was born in Nelson and attended Nelson Central School, Nelson Intermediate School and Nelson College . At Victoria University of Wellington , he studied both political science and law. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1964 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1965. After working for

3074-515: The World wars of the first half of the twentieth century. In parts of Europe , central planning was implemented in the belief that it would make production more efficient. Many public services, especially electricity, fossil fuels and public transport are products of this era. Following the Second World War, many countries also began to implement universal health care and expanded education under

3180-562: The minister holding the Intelligence portfolio, who, by convention, is always the Prime Minister . Its main functions are: the collection and processing of intelligence, the distribution of intelligence, IT security, technology and administration. It has slightly over 400 employees with a range of disciplines including foreign language experts, communications and cryptography specialists, engineers, technicians and support staff. In 2015/16

3286-553: The mixed-member proportional representation system. After the 1987 elections , when Labour was re-elected, he also became Minister of the Environment , an area in which he took personal interest. The most notable feature of New Zealand politics at the time was the economic change promoted by the Finance Minister , Roger Douglas . Douglas was advancing monetarist policies involving extensive privatisation of state assets and

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3392-432: The 1990 elections, it was clear that Labour would not win. The perceived damage done by Roger Douglas's reforms, as well as Palmer's lack of general charisma, caused too many Labour supporters to abandon the party. In addition, Palmer was perceived as being too academic and aloof, reminding people of the paternalistic attitude that Douglas was accused of. Palmer was replaced by Mike Moore , who Labour believed would give it

3498-613: The Bureau's problems included "under-resourcing and a lack of legal staff". An Inspector-General has oversight of the GCSB (and other intelligence organisations). The current Inspector-General is Brendan Horsley, who began his three year term in June 2020. The office of the Inspector-General also consists of Deputy Inspector-General Graeme Speden, and a number of investigating staff. A statutory advisory panel of two members also provides advice to

3604-511: The GCSB Amendment Bill claimed that the Bill would turn New Zealand into a police state like the former German Democratic Republic and made references to George Orwell 's novel 1984 and the ongoing Edward Snowden NSA Leaks scandal . In response, Prime Minister Key acknowledged that the protests were part of a "healthy democracy" with people being "allowed" to make their voices heard for

3710-456: The GCSB assumed responsibility for these three roles. Officially, the new organisation was part of the Ministry of Defence, and its functions and activities were highly secret – even Cabinet was not informed. In the 1980s, however, information was gradually released, first about the GCSB's security role, and then about its signals intelligence operations. Also in the 1980s, the GCSB

3816-676: The GCSB did not distinguish between different forms of violent extremism "before and after" the Christchurch attacks and vowed to support national and global efforts against the "full spectrum of violent extremism." On 20 July 2021, the Minister in charge of GCSB Andrew Little confirmed that the spy agency had established links between Chinese state-sponsored actors known as "Advanced Persistent Threat 40" ( APT40 ) and malicious cyber activity in New Zealand. In addition, Little confirmed that New Zealand

3922-718: The GCSB for cooperating with Bangladeshi security forces. On 19 April 2015, The Intercept and the New Zealand Herald revealed that the GCSB and the National Security Agency had worked together to tap into a data link between the Chinese Consulate-General and the Chinese Visa Office in Auckland , New Zealand's largest city. According to a leaked secret report entitled "NSA activities in progress 2013",

4028-518: The GCSB for damages. The attorney-general appealed the ruling but was unsuccessful. In March 2013, The New Zealand Herald reported that Wolfensohn "no longer works for the GCSB intelligence agency as it braces for fresh exposure of its failings". As a result of the Dotcom saga, a review of the bureau's compliance with legislation and its internal systems and processes was conducted by Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Kitteridge . In April 2013, Kitteridge's report

4134-552: The GCSB had a secret listening post, codenamed "Caprica", at the New Zealand High Commission in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara . The "Caprica" outpost was reportedly modeled after the NSA's Stateroom outposts at selected United States Embassies across the world. On 22 March 2015, The Intercept released a new document which showed that the GCSB had monitored the email and internet communications of several foreign diplomats vying for

4240-579: The GCSB had gone from selective targeting of South Pacific targets to collecting a wide breadth of email messages and telephone calls. He added that the spy agency had upgraded its Waihopai spy base in 2009 to collect both the content and meta-data of all communications, rather than specific individuals and agencies. According to leaked documents supplied by Snowden, the GCSB collected a wide trove of electronic information including emails, mobile and fixed line phone calls, and social media messages from various South Pacific countries. In addition, Snowden alleged that

4346-472: The GCSB include signals intelligence , communications security , anti-bugging measures , and computer security . The GCSB does not publicly disclose the nature of the communications which it intercepts. It is frequently described by some authors, such as Nicky Hager , as part of ECHELON . In 2006, after the death of former Prime Minister David Lange , a 1985–86 report given to Lange was found among his papers, having been mistakenly released. The report listed

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4452-474: The GCSB is sent to the American National Security Agency to plug holes in the global intelligence network. Most of the surveillance was carried out from the GCSB's Waihopai Station in the South Island. Under the premiership of Prime Minister John Key, the GCSB had expanded its intelligence-gathering activities in support of the Five Eyes. According to investigative journalist and peace activist Nicky Hager ,

4558-546: The GCSB was helping the National Security Agency to fill gaps in its world surveillance data collection. In response to Snowden's disclosures, Una Jagose , the Acting-Director of the GCSB issued a statement that the spy agency was collecting less information than it was seven years ago during a session of the New Zealand Parliament 's Intelligence and Security Committee . According to the GCSB's latest annual report,

4664-399: The GCSB was providing additional technical data on the data link to the NSA's "Tailored Accessed Operations", a powerful system that hacks into computer systems and networks to intercept communications. Other leaked documents also indicated that the GCSB codenamed their Auckland tapping operation "Frostbite" while their American counterparts called it "Basilhayden", after a Kentucky bourbon that

4770-803: The GCSB was using the NSA's internet mass surveillance system XKeyscore to intercept email communications from several leading Solomon Islands government ministers, the Solomons Islands Truth and Reconciliation Commission , and the Solomons anti-corruption campaigner Benjamin Afuga . In response, the New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully downplayed reports of the spying disclosures by asserting that Pacific Islands ministers "were smart enough not to believe what they read in New Zealand newspapers." He also offered to discuss their concerns about

4876-512: The GCSB's actions amounted to an invasion of people's privacy. In 2014, New Zealand secured a seat on the United Nations Security Council with the support of the entire Pacific region on the platform that "New Zealand stands up for small states." The Green Party also laid a complaint with the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security , alleging that the GCSB had broken the law by spying on New Zealanders who were holidaying in

4982-580: The Government to engage in a programme of reviewing the old Law Commission reports with a view to actioning them. This resulted in a number of existing reports being actioned. Palmer stepped down from the Law Commission at the end of his tenure on 1 December 2010. In August 2010, Palmer was chosen to chair a UN Inquiry panel into the fatal Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship participating in

5088-588: The Government was doomed actually, and my wife was absolutely of that opinion. But I thought I had a duty to do it and to try and get as many of the reforms completed as possible. We did complete a fair number. The Reserve Bank Act went through, the Public Finance Act went through, the Bill of Rights Act went through. I particularly wanted the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, thank you very much." Two months before

5194-534: The Inspector-General. The Prime Minister appoints both the director of the GCSB and the Inspector General. Associate Professor of law at Auckland University, Bill Hodge, says the watchdog should be appointed by Parliament rather than by the Prime Minister. Former prime minister, Sir Geoffrey Palmer agrees: "There needs to be some separation between the inspector and the agency he oversees." The functions of

5300-522: The International Court of Justice. The MMP system which he had helped promote was adopted in a 1993 referendum. In 1994, he established Chen Palmer & Partners , a specialist public law firm he began with Wellington lawyer Mai Chen . In September 2001 Palmer became a founding trustee of Motu Economic and Public Policy Research and in December 2002 was appointed to be New Zealand's representative to

5406-804: The New Zealand Government to abandon its so-called " Cold War mentality." New Zealand exporters have expressed concerns that an escalation of diplomatic tensions could affect Sino-New Zealand trade. In late March 2024 the GCSB's Director-General Andrew Clark confirmed that the Chinese-sponsored hacker group APT40 had attempted to breach the New Zealand Parliamentary Service and the Parliamentary Council Office 's computer systems in 2021. In response, GCSB Minister Judith Collins , Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters issued statements criticising

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5512-642: The Opposition . When, in 1984, the Labour Party won the general elections , Palmer became Deputy Prime Minister of the Fourth Labour Government . He also became Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. The new justice minister, who had promoted proportional representation as a law professor in his book Unbridled Power? , also published in 1984, set up a Royal Commission to investigate the electoral system and propose modifications or alternatives. His Royal Commission reported in December 1986, recommending

5618-405: The Opposition before and/or after his tenure as prime minister. Palmer later went on to serve as Professor of Law at Victoria University again. He also held a position as Professor of Law at the University of Iowa , and worked for a time as a law consultant. While at the University of Iowa he taught courses on International law and global environment issues as well as a two-week mini course about

5724-636: The South Pacific. In response, Brian Fergurson, a former director of the GCSB, acknowledged that the spy agency did collect emails and other electronic communications but that it did not use material about New Zealanders captured inadvertently. The Tongan Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva has denounced New Zealand's espionage activities as a "breach of trust." He also expressed concerns about similar surveillance activities carried out by China . The Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele has by contrast dismissed allegations of New Zealand espionage against Samoa, commenting that "it would be far fetched to think that

5830-551: The UK found that private sector hiring managers do not credit government experience as much as private sector experience. Public workers tend to make less in wages when adjusting for education, although that difference is reduced when benefits and hours are included. Public servants have other intangible benefits such as increased job security and high wages. A study concluded that public services are associated with higher human need satisfaction and lower energy requirements while contemporary forms of economic growth are linked with

5936-402: The UK increasingly as well as Australia and Canada, is using public-private partnerships , which involve giving a long lease to private consortia in return for partly or fully funding infrastructure costs. Geoffrey Palmer (politician) Sir Geoffrey Winston Russell Palmer KCMG AC KC PC (born 21 April 1942) is a New Zealand lawyer and former politician who

6042-605: The UK's Treasury and the Cabinet Office on public demand for choice in public services which reported in 2013. The principle of choice where possible was embodied in the Choice Charter, published on 16 May 2013, where four choice principles were outlined: Between December 2012 and May 2013, "Choice Frameworks" were scheduled for publication covering NHS care, social housing , school education, early years education and adult social care . Nationalization took off following

6148-552: The US) by Public Utility Commissions . Examples noted in a history of public services in Oxford include street-repair, cleansing, and lighting , drainage and sewage disposal, water, gas and electricity supply, police and fire services, the Post Office, transport, hospital services, and the provision of baths , parks and cemeteries . A public service may sometimes have the characteristics of

6254-448: The United States National Security Agency (NSA) to pay them for mass surveillance of New Zealand internet activity through the cable. In May 2014, John Minto , vice-president of the New Zealand Mana Party , alleged that the NSA was carrying out mass surveillance on all meta-data and content that went out of New Zealand through the cable. In August 2014, New Zealand Green Party co-leader Russel Norman stated that an interception point

6360-439: The United States, United Kingdom, and Australia to exclude Huawei from participating in their 5G mobile network expansion programs as well as the ongoing China-United States trade war . Following the Christchurch mosque shootings in March 2019, the GCSB assembled a 24-hour operation response team which worked with domestic agencies and foreign partners to support the New Zealand Police and its domestic intelligence counterpart,

6466-729: The agency is reliant on the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service for domestic intelligence gathering. If the GCSB were to collect data on New Zealanders, this would be in violation of the GCSB Amendment Bill. The 2016 - 2020 strategic plan entails what the GCSB is aiming to achieve in the years until 2020. Its two main focuses are; "impenetrable infrastructure" and "indispensable intelligence." "New Zealand's most important information infrastructures are impenetrable to technology-borne compromise. We call this aim impenetrable infrastructure, and New Zealand's intelligence generates unique policy and operational impacts for New Zealand. We call this aim indispensable intelligence." They plan to do this through

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6572-646: The allegations that the GCSB had spied on New Zealanders working in the Pacific. Prime Minister John Key has welcomed this inquiry. On 16 April 2015, The Intercept and New Zealand Herald disclosed that the GCSB had been both spying on and sharing intelligence with the Bangladesh government, using a leaked National Security Agency document entitled "NSA Intelligence Relationship with New Zealand." The Bangladeshi security forces have been implicated in various human rights abuses including extrajudicial killings and torture. The New Zealand Government has refused to respond to these disclosures but opposition parties have criticised

6678-448: The attempted cyber attacks. In response, a Chinese Embassy spokesperson dismissed the complaint as "groundless and irresponsible accusations" and confirmed it would lodge a complaint with New Zealand officials. Reports of the data hack accompanied reports that the United States, British and Australian governments had sanctioned APT40 for similar activities in their countries. On 27 March 2023, Director-General Andrew Hampton confirmed during

6784-416: The bill, the GCSB will have three main functions. Firstly, it will continue to collect foreign intelligence but it will not be allowed to spy on New Zealanders. Secondly, it will give the GCSB a legal mandate to assist the police, Defence Force and the Security Intelligence Service. Thirdly, it will extend the GCSB's cyber-security functions to encompass protecting private-sector cyber systems. While this Bill

6890-436: The blockade faced "organized and violent resistance from a group of passengers" when they boarded the ship. However, the report also found that the Israeli soldiers responded with "excessive and unreasonable" force and recommended that Israel make "an appropriate statement of regret" and pay compensation. In September 2016, Palmer and legal academic Andrew Butler published A Constitution for Aotearoa New Zealand . In this book

6996-402: The budget for the GCSB was $ 89.6 million. Former Green MP Keith Locke says that despite the attention the GCSB received as a result of its illegal surveillance of Kim Dotcom , there has been little public discussion about its value. Locke questions GCSB's suitability for the task of protecting government computers given its security failures. Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Kitteridge 's report noted

7102-425: The claims, but admitted that they were negotiating a "cable access programme" with the NSA, while refusing to clarify what that was or why the NSA was involved. On 5 March 2015, The Intercept website and The New Zealand Herald newspaper disclosed that the Government Communications Security Bureau had been spying on New Zealand's South Pacific neighbours including Tuvalu , Nauru , Kiribati , Samoa , Vanuatu ,

7208-426: The country's primary intelligence agency, the less funded NZSIS . This has at times proven controversial, although the GCSB does not have the baggage of criticism attached to it for a perceived failure to be effective like the NZSIS does. The GCSB is considered an equivalent of GCHQ in the United Kingdom or the NSA in the United States. According to the Bureau's official website, it has a mission of contributing to

7314-432: The facility are known, but it is believed that it intercepts and processes all phone calls, faxes, e-mails and computer data communications. The site is a regular target for protesters and activists who are attempting to have the base closed down. The Anti-Bases Campaign have had regular yearly protests at the base. In October 2021, the GCSB announced that Waihopai Station's two dishes and radomes would be decommissioned as

7420-414: The first place. On 8 May 2013, the National Prime Minister John Key introduced the Government Communications Security Bureau and Related Legislation Amendment Bill, which would extend the powers of the GCSB to enable it to collect information from all New Zealanders for the use of other government departments including the New Zealand Police , Defence Force and the Security Intelligence Service . Under

7526-404: The funding and guidance of the state. There are several ways to privatize public services. A free-market corporation may be established and sold to private investors, relinquishing government control altogether. Thus it becomes a private (not public) service. Another option, used in the Nordic countries , is to establish a corporation, but keep ownership or voting power essentially in the hands of

7632-513: The government. For example, the Finnish state owned 49% of Kemira until 2007, the rest being owned by private investors. A 49% share did not make it a "government enterprise", but it meant that all other investors together would have to oppose the state's opinion in order to overturn the state's decisions in the shareholder's meeting. A regulated corporation can also acquire permits on the agreement that they fulfill certain public service duties. When

7738-442: The guy in a long time" and hadn't mentioned he had made a phone call to Mr Fletcher when the question first came up in parliament because he had "forgotten" about it. Former GCSB director Sir Bruce Ferguson said the way Key had intervened in the selection process was "disturbing". The Labour Party called for an inquiry into the matter. Shortly before Fletcher was appointed, the GCSB was found to have illegally spied on Kim Dotcom ,

7844-505: The institution of xiàn (prefectures) under the control of a centrally appointed prefect. Historical evidence of state provision of dispute resolution through a legal/justice system goes back at least as far as ancient Egypt. A primary public service in ancient history involved ensuring the general favor of the gods through a theologically and ceremonially correct state religion . The widespread provision of public utilities as public services in developed countries usually began in

7950-469: The issue was "effectively dead for the immediate future." Eventually, Douglas was removed from Cabinet , but the dispute had weakened Lange enough that he resigned a month later. Palmer, being deputy leader, took over as prime minister. Electoral reformers in the Labour Party kept up the pressure, and in September 1989, after Palmer had become prime minister, the full annual conference of the Labour Party passed

8056-577: The journalist Glenn Greenwald , of "misrepresenting, misinterpreting, and misunderstanding" the leaked information. In late November 2018, the Government Communications Security Bureau prevented national telecommunications provider Spark New Zealand from using Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei 's equipment in its 5G mobile tower expansion, with the agency's Director-General Andrew Hampton citing "a significant network security risk." New Zealand's decision to ban Huawei from its 5G expansion programme accompanied moves by several Western governments including

8162-551: The late nineteenth century, often with the municipal development of gas and water services. Later, governments began to provide other services such as electricity and health care . In most developed countries, local or national governments continue to provide such services, the biggest exceptions being the U.S. and the UK , where private provision is arguably proportionally more significant. Nonetheless, such privately provided public services are often strongly regulated, for example (in

8268-642: The mass surveillance programme in private. The Solomons Chief of Staff, Robert Iroga , has condemned the New Zealand Government 's actions for damaging New Zealand's image as a "friendly government" in the South Pacific. He added that communications within the inner circle of the Solomons Government was "highly secret information" that rightfully belong to the Solomon Islanders. On 16 March 2015, Snowden released more documents which revealed that

8374-474: The moment. On 14 August 2013, the Prime Minister of New Zealand John Key addressed what he identified as "misinformation" surrounding the GCSB Amendment Bill, claiming that the actions of the Government Communications Security Bureau were analogous to Norton AntiVirus . On 21 August, the House of Representatives voted to pass the GCSB Amendment Bill by 61 to 59. The bill passed its third reading despite protests from

8480-424: The national security of New Zealand by providing information assurance and cybersecurity , foreign intelligence, and assistance to other New Zealand government agencies. The Government Communications Security Bureau was created in 1977 on the instructions of Robert Muldoon , the Prime Minister . Prior to this, the functions now handled by the GCSB were split between three organisations: Upon its establishment,

8586-479: The opposite. Authors find that the contemporary economic system is structurally misaligned with goals of sustainable development and that to date no nation can provide decent living standards at sustainable levels of energy and resource use. They provide analysis about factors in social provisioning and assess that improving beneficial provisioning-factors and infrastructure would allow for sustainable forms of sufficient need satisfaction. Open Public Services ,

8692-481: The opposition National Party under Jim Bolger won a landslide victory. Palmer became the second Labour leader to leave the party leadership without ever leading the party into an election after Alfred Hindmarsh . Of the Labour Prime Ministers and notwithstanding Hugh Watt 's tenure as interim prime minister following the death of Norman Kirk , Palmer is the only one who had not also served as Leader of

8798-471: The opposition parties, human rights groups, legal advocates, and technology groups. John Key defended the GCSB Amendment Bill by arguing that it did not authorise "wholesale spying" on New Zealanders and that its opponents were misinformed. In 2013 the New Zealand Herald reported that the owners of the Southern Cross Cable , New Zealand's majority (≈95%) international internet access point, had asked

8904-458: The organisation's activities. For the purposes of its signals intelligence activities, the GCSB maintains two "listening stations": a satellite communications interception station at GCSB Waihopai near Blenheim and a radio communications interception station at GCSB Tangimoana near Palmerston North . On 16 March 2015, the former National Security Agency contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden disclosed that New Zealand's GCSB agency had

9010-408: The pair outlined their arguments for New Zealand to adopt a written Constitution, and also drafted out what this would look like. They then invited public submissions on the subject online and spent a year promoting the book and their campaign. The pair released a second book in 2018, Towards Democratic Renewal , that amends some of their proposal in the previous text and further argues their cause for

9116-442: The period of its operation. Former prime minister – and former minister for the GCSB in the years 2003 to 2008 – Helen Clark , suggested that disciplinary action would be appropriate for GCSB staff that signed off on the capability The GCSB is administered by a Director. The directors have been: Jerry Mateparae was appointed by Prime Minister John Key on 26 August 2010 taking up the role on 7 February 2011. On 8 March 2011 Mateparae

9222-627: The position of Director-General of the World Trade Organization . This surveillance was carried out on behalf of the New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser , who was also competing for that position. Known targets included candidates from Brazil , Costa Rica , Ghana , Jordan , Indonesia , Kenya , Mexico , and South Korea . Ultimately, Groser's candidature was unsuccessful and the Brazilian diplomat Roberto Azevêdo

9328-731: The private or third sector is involved the process of commissioning will usually be linked with a process of procurement , to determine who will provide the services, at what cost and on what terms. Commissioning is often seen as a cyclical process. Public services can be constructed, coordinated and operated in many ways or forms. They include government agencies, independent state -funded institutes, government-coordinated organizations, civil society, military agencies and volunteers. Government agencies are not profit-oriented and their employees are often motivated differently. Studies of their work have found contrasting results including both higher levels of effort and fewer hours of work. A survey in

9434-518: The protection of national critical infrastructure from information-borne threats. The National Cyber Security Centre was established within the GCSB in September 2011, and it absorbed the functions of the Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection. The GCSB is considered to be a government department in its own right with its head office in Pipitea St, Wellington. Through its director, the GCSB reports to

9540-539: The removal of tariffs and subsidies —these reforms were dubbed " Rogernomics ". These policies, which contravened Labour's basic policy platform and campaign promises, were deeply unpopular with Labour's traditional support base, and resulted in a confrontation between Prime Minister David Lange and Roger Douglas. Lange also reneged from his promise to hold a binding referendum on the MMP system. Palmer conceded defeat on MMP at an April 1989 Labour regional conference, saying that

9646-509: The set up of eight priority objectives, including recruiting and retaining the best employees, replacing high grade infrastructure and continuing to modernise the GCSB's access and tradecraft . The Waihopai Station has been operating since 1989. It is described as a satellite communications monitoring facility in the Waihopai Valley , near Blenheim . The facility has been identified by MP Keith Locke as part of ECHELON . Few details of

9752-570: The technology is obsolete. However, other data collection and information gathering will continue at the station. The Tangimoana Station was opened in 1982, replacing an earlier facility at Irirangi , near Waiouru . According to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), the facility is part of ECHELON ; its role in this capacity was first identified publicly by peace researcher Owen Wilkes in 1984, and investigated in detail by peace activist and independent journalist Nicky Hager . Ian Fletcher

9858-571: The volume of phone and electronic surveillance carried out on New Zealanders surged throughout 2014. On 13 March 2015, the Fijian military commander Brigadier-General Mosese Tikoitoga confirmed that the Fijian Military Forces were aware of the GCSB's intelligence-gathering activities in Fiji. On 15 March 2015, the journalists Nicky Hager and Ryan Gallagher reported in the New Zealand Herald that

9964-527: Was a member of Parliament from 1979 to 1990. He served as the 33rd prime minister of New Zealand for a little over a year, from August 1989 until September 1990, leading the Fourth Labour Government . As minister of justice from 1984 to 1989, Palmer was responsible for considerable reforms of the country's legal and constitutional framework, such as the creation of the Constitution Act 1986 , New Zealand Bill of Rights , Imperial Laws Application Act , and

10070-479: Was also a prominent legal academic and public servant, and was appointed a High Court judge in 2015. Notable students of Palmer include Nicola Wheen . On 1 December 2005, Palmer was appointed to the presidency of the New Zealand Law Commission (the government agency that reviews, reforms and seeks to improve the country's laws) by the Governor-General for a term of five years. During his tenure, he persuaded

10176-404: Was announced as the next Governor-General . He continued as Director until June 2011. Public service Even where public services are neither publicly provided nor publicly financed , they are usually subject to regulation going beyond that applying to most economic sectors for social and political reasons. Public policy , when made in the public's interest and with its motivations,

10282-602: Was appointed as director of the GCSB in February 2012. Fletcher is a former diplomat who was interviewed by the appointment panel after an earlier short-list of four candidates had been rejected by the Prime Minister on the recommendation of the State Services Commissioner. In March 2013, John Key admitted he had known Fletcher since they were in school, but denied they were friends. Answering questions in parliament about Mr Fletcher's appointment, Key said he hadn't "seen

10388-617: Was being established on the Southern Cross Cable. Norman said that as the cable is the only point of telecommunications access from New Zealand, this would allow the Government to spy on all phone calls and internet traffic from New Zealand. Norman's claims followed the revelation that an engineer from the NSA had visited New Zealand earlier in the year to discuss how to intercept traffic on the Southern Cross cable. The office of National Party New Zealand Prime Minister John Key denied

10494-504: Was doing nothing to address public concerns. The only area in which Palmer won praise from traditional left-wing supporters was in his handling of the Environment portfolio, which he kept when he became Prime Minister – it was his work here in initiating the resource management law reform process that eventually led to the creation of the Resource Management Act 1991 . Palmer later reflected on his brief premiership: "I thought

10600-718: Was elected as the Director General of the WTO in May 2013. In response to these disclosures, Sergio Danese , the Secretary-General of the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations summoned the New Zealand Ambassador Caroline Bilkey to explain the actions of her government. On 26 March 2015, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Cheryl Gywn announced that she would lead an inquiry into

10706-543: Was joining other Western governments including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and the European Union in condemning the Chinese Ministry of State Security and other Chinese state-sponsored actors for their involvement in the 2021 Microsoft Exchange Server data breach . In response, the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand described the New Zealand Government's statement as "groundless and irresponsible" and lodged

10812-424: Was leaked to the media. It contradicted GCSB head Ian Fletcher's comments that the bureau had not unlawfully spied on anyone other than Dotcom showing that the GCSB may have unlawfully spied on up to 85 people between April 2003 and September 2012. Fairfax reported "The review noted a series of failings had led to the illegal spying, including under-resourcing and a lack of legal staff." It found "the GCSB structure

10918-501: Was once regarded as the fictional spy James Bond 's favourite alcoholic beverage. In response, a Chinese Embassy spokesman told the New Zealand Herald that China was concerned about the report and attached great importance to the cybersecurity issue. On 5 May 2015, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet acknowledged that Snowden's leaked documents on the GCSB and NSA were authentic but accused Snowden's associates, particularly

11024-445: Was overly complex and top heavy, while staff who performed poorly were tolerated, rather than dismissed or disciplined, so they would not pose a security risk upon leaving the bureau." The Green Party asked police to investigate the illegal spying. Kitteridge also said she had trouble accessing a number of "basic files". Prime Minister John Key said there was no "cover-up", and the files were probably either misfiled or never existed in

11130-540: Was split away from the Ministry of Defence , becoming a separate organisation. It was not until 2000, however, that it was decided to make the GCSB a government department in its own right. This decision was implemented through the Government Communications Security Bureau Act 2003 . In 2001, the Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection was formed within the GCSB with a mandate to assist in

11236-702: Was supported by the ruling National Party and its coalition partners ACT New Zealand and the United Future MP Peter Dunne , it was opposed by the opposition Labour and the Green parties , several left-wing groups, and the internet millionaire Kim Dotcom , the NZ Law Society , and the Human Rights Tribunal. On 27 July, opponents of the GCSB Amendment Bill staged nationwide protests in eleven major towns and cities, and thousands attended. Critics of

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