Key Deflates Media Excitement About Treasury Notebook
September 10th, 2009
Excitement in the media about the Govt undertaking a review of NZ’s intelligence services scaled considerable heights this week. A Treasury official dropped a notebook in the street near Parliament, which contained some details about the review being carried out by former MFAT chief Simon Murdoch. The notebook was retrieved by a Radio NZ political journalist, and initial news reports sent competing media into a frenzy. However John Key deflated the excitement when he told journalists the review had been twice reported earlier in Trans-Tasman. The first, in the July 2 issue, said a review was being planned of the agencies, and the second on July 16 indicated Murdoch would carry out the review.
Former state services boss Michael Wintringham who has previously been involved in reviewing the structures of individual agencies has been brought into work with Murdoch. The task may well extend into next year, though Ministers were expecting initial reports next month on the national security framework. Under the Labour Govt, Helen Clark who was Minister in charge of the SIS, looked at the issue of reviewing the agencies with a view to a possible merger but gave it away as too hard. Most observers think a merger is unlikely. This would involve legislative action (the SIS operates under its own Act), and a public debate might serve only to give oxygen to critics. A department of homeland security could be an option, but the more likely outcome is closer operational co-ordination through the backroom. NZ’s allies maintain separate intel agencies because each looks at different aspects, and requires specialist skills.
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Duncan Cotterill