Labour adopts another Green policy
David Fisher at NZ Herald reports:
Opposition leaders say New Zealand’s involvement in the international “Five Eyes” spying network should be included in an inquiry into intelligence agencies.
Labour leader David Shearer and Green co-leader Russel Norman said too little was known about what benefit New Zealand got out of the relationship.
It also brought from Dr Norman comparisons to New Zealand’s rejection of nuclear weapons in the 1980s – a step which saw the country frozen out of friendly relations with the United States for 25 years.
The call comes after a week of international suspicion over spying by the United States’ National Security Agency, a sister agency to New Zealand’s GCSB in the Five Eyes network. NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden claimed the agency used data from Apple, Facebook, Google, Yahoo and other tech giants to spy on billions of people.
Mr Shearer pledged to hold an inquiry into the intelligence services if the party won power next year. He said it was an important step towards improving oversight and would include the Five Eyes network.
I expect the Green Party to say things like NZ should consider withdrawing from our intelligence sharing operations with Australia, Canada, UK and US.
But I’m actually shocked that Labour is now agreeing with the Greens, and saying we should look at withdrawing.
I don’t think I can imagine an act more likely to permanently alienate our traditional friends.
Labour’s lurch to the left continues. Look at this list of Green party policies that Labour has now adopted after initially resisting:
- Capital Gains Tax
- Universal Child Payment
- Extending Paid Parental Leave
- Exchange Rate Interventions
- NZ Power nationalisation
- Abolishing youth rates
- Reviewing involvement in Five Eyes
Labour seem determined to battle the Greens for the left vote, and abandon the centre to National. This is an unusual approach for an opposition.