The rise of the security state in New Zealand

I warned before the election that if they voted the Key government back into government it would signify that the nation was sleepwalking into fascism.

Now it begins - with a police raid on Nicky Hager's home and a security shakeup.

Nicky Hager's house raided by police

Author Nicky Hager is planning legal action to stop investigators from looking at electronic records taken from his home in a police raid.

Stuff,

6 October 2014

It was revealed today that police last week raided Hager's home as part of an investigation into emails he used in his Dirty Politics book.

In a statement, police confirmed they had "removed computers and related items under search warrant from a Wellington address as part of [an] ongoing investigation into alleged hacking of Mr [Cameron] Slater's emails."

Hager's book alleged links between Prime Minister John Key's office and right wing blogger Cameron Slater, whose Whaleoil blog attacked many of National's political opponents.

Hager was provided Facebook posts, emails and other material for his book by a third party, known as Rawshark, who allegedly hacked Slater's computer.

Hager told Radio New Zealand this evening he had been out of town lecturing in Auckland for two days when he learned police were raiding his Wellington home last Thursday.

He said he spoke straight away to the detective leading the raid and told him there was nothing in the house that would help with their investigation. He told them he had taken precautions to protect his source.

''It is really crossing the line to think it's OK to come and do someone's house over, over a book, when they were very clear I'm only a witness and haven't done anything wrong," Hager said.

He did not believe authorities had yet looked at the material taken from his home. A legal fight would "begin now'' to establish whether investigators would be able to access the material, he said.

On his website, Hager said five officers had searched his home for 10 hours. The officers had taken "a large collection of papers and electronic equipment belonging to my family, including computers, drives, phones, CDs, an iPod and a camera," he wrote.

Hager said the police raid was "dangerous for journalism in New Zealand" and he would not cooperate with efforts to reveal his source.

"My investigative journalism work means I have an unnegotiable obligation to protect all my sources and the confidences of other people who approach me."

The author warned the action was chilling for other media in New Zealand.

While he accepted the police had the right under the law to be there, he was critical of the powers they were afforded.

He claimed they were able to carry out the raid due to the ''rather draconian search and surveillance bill,'' which was passed in 2012 amid widespread controversy.

However, Hager also said the police were ''careful'' and his belongings were now sealed in evidence bags.

Slater said he welcomed the news of the police raid and continuing investigation into his allegedly stolen emails.

"The police are doing their job and I'm pleased to see they are pursuing the matter with such vigour."

In a blog post, he added that for Hager to claim his book was a journalistic endeavour was wrong.

"Journalists call people they write stories about. Journalists give people a right of reply. Journalists tell the whole story, not massaged narratives that suit their politics," Slater wrote.

He wrote that if it was in the public interest for his emails to be published, then the same could be said for the identity of Hager's source.

"It must cut both ways," Slater wrote.

"Nicky Hager was the recipient of stolen information, we should know who was responsible for that theft.

"If Hager [protects] the hacker then he protects a criminal."

He said he trusted the police would continue to perform their duties and more information would come to light in the coming weeks.

Dirty Politics author Nicky Hager has had his home raided by police searching for the hacker Rawshark.

In a 10-hour search of his house, Hager said computers and papers were seized in what appeared to be an attempt to discover the identity of the person who provided information used in the Dirty Politics book.

The book was an election bombshell based on hacked email and social media material belonging to WhaleOil blogger Cameron Slater.

The person contacted the Herald and Fairfax using the identity Rawshark while using the Twitter handle @whaledump to release information publicly.

Hager said five officers came to his Wellington home last Thursday with a search warrant.

He was in Auckland at the time the police arrived giving lectures at the University of Auckland.

From the NZ Herald

"Soon after the police arrived, the lead detective stated that I was not a suspect in their case, merely a witness." Hager said he told the detective there was nothing in his house which held information that would uncover the source.

"Nonetheless, he and his four colleagues seized a large collection of papers and electronic equipment belonging to my family, including computers, drives, phones, CDs, an IPOD and a camera."

Hager said the search and seizure of the material was a "fishing expedition" carried out by officers who had no idea who they were looking for, hoping for a lucky break.

"I am confident that the police took nothing that will help them with their investigation."

Hager said he would not cooperate with police in any way to reveal the Dirty Politics source - or any other source. "I believe the police actions are dangerous for journalism in New Zealand.

"It matters to all people working in the media who could similarly have their property searched and seized to look for sources. People are less likely to help the media if the police act in this way.

"The police want people to respect their role in society; they should in turn respect other people's roles in society."

He said he was speaking to his lawyers about challenging the police action.

A police spokesman confirmed police had removed computers and related items under search warrant from a Wellington address as part of its ongoing investigation into alleged hacking of Cameron Slater's emails.

"Police encourages anyone who believes they may have information relevant to the investigation to come forward. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously through the organisation Crimestoppers."

Key reveals major national security overhaul

A big overhaul of New Zealand's national security is underway amid a warning by the Prime Minister of a growing terror risk to this country.

TVNZ,

6 October 2014

John Key signalled today that New Zealand might not be immune from terrorist threats by Islamic State militants.

"The reality is that some of these risks, and we are seeing them play out in Australia, could easily present themselves in New Zealand," he says.

Mr Key says to help counter those risks he's leading a major shakeup of national security operations.

Mr Key will head a newly-created Ministry for Security and Intelligence and his previous roles, as Minister of the SIS and GCSB, are being delegated to Attorney-General Chris Finlayson.

They'll form part of a new cabinet National Security Committee with the Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister, Defence Minister and the Justice Minister.

But the changes are being criticised as an admission of failure.

"There's been a series of mistakes by the GCBS and SIS. The minister responsible for them was the Prime Minister himself," says Greens co-leader Russel Norman.

Mr Key also wants a new law to deal with Kiwis who return to New Zealand after fighting for militant groups like ISIS.

He also says the number of people looking to leave New Zealand to become foreign fighters is higher than most Kiwis would expect.

"If I was to spell out to New Zealanders the exact number of people looking to leave and become foreign fighters, it would be larger I think than what New Zealanders would expect that number to be."