Photo: NZ HeraldThe Government's foreign intelligence agency can now spy on New Zealanders under spying reforms passed into law this afternoon. The reforms have not attracted the same level of debate and controversy as the expansion of the Government Communications Security Bureau's (GCSB) powers in 2013. The bill brings the GCSB and the NZ Security Intelligence Service (SIS) under the same laws and warranting regime. In a fundamental shift in policy, it permits the GCSB to monitor New Zealanders if national security issues are at stake. A "Type 1" intelligence warrant will be needed to target New Zealanders using otherwise unlawful activities, such as intercepting phone calls.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 21, 2017 03:56 UTC