Controversial New Spy Law Passes Final Reading
By One News
Published August 21, 2013
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/controversial-new-spy-law-passes-final-reading-5537841
Published August 21, 2013
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/controversial-new-spy-law-passes-final-reading-5537841
In this article, One News discusses a controversial security law recently passed. This law allows the GCSB (Government Communications Security Bureau) to spy on the people of New Zealand. The law does this by allowing the spy agency to legally support the police, Defense Force, and Security Intelligence Service in various surveillance operations. Part of the laws controversy is that it only got passed through a stage by one vote many times making it an unfair law in the eyes of some people. Many riots and large protests have been held since the bill appeared.
I personally don't understand why people are so upset about the passing of this "spy" law. The law doesn't allow the government to spy on anyone they chose to. The government has to get a warrant to spy on any citizen. This means that there has to be a good and valid reason for the government to be allowed to spy on you. So most of the rioters would be unaffected by the passing of this law. Only those who have committed crimes or are suspected of a major crime are likely to be spied on at any point. There are no logical reasons to be upset over this law unless you are in "a tight spot" with the law in New Zealand.
This ties into the lives of a small portion of the citizens in New Zealand. Because most Citizens will not be spied on, the law doesn't actually affect their lives in any way. Therefore, this new law should not be considered controversial for any reason. Everyone has had a voice in the passing of this law and it has passed through each stage, meaning that the majority of the population approves of it. The Prime Minister also approves of it saying that "It isn't a revolution in the way New Zealand conducts its intelligence operations. It is not about expanding the powers of a mysterious intelligence empire." The law is obviously not a threat to anyone.
I personally don't understand why people are so upset about the passing of this "spy" law. The law doesn't allow the government to spy on anyone they chose to. The government has to get a warrant to spy on any citizen. This means that there has to be a good and valid reason for the government to be allowed to spy on you. So most of the rioters would be unaffected by the passing of this law. Only those who have committed crimes or are suspected of a major crime are likely to be spied on at any point. There are no logical reasons to be upset over this law unless you are in "a tight spot" with the law in New Zealand.
This ties into the lives of a small portion of the citizens in New Zealand. Because most Citizens will not be spied on, the law doesn't actually affect their lives in any way. Therefore, this new law should not be considered controversial for any reason. Everyone has had a voice in the passing of this law and it has passed through each stage, meaning that the majority of the population approves of it. The Prime Minister also approves of it saying that "It isn't a revolution in the way New Zealand conducts its intelligence operations. It is not about expanding the powers of a mysterious intelligence empire." The law is obviously not a threat to anyone.