Wake Up Kiwi | 16 Sept 2014
The following is a brief summary taken as-it-happened: (See below for video)
Laila Harre introduced the panel and speaks about democracy and the global importance of this event, making reference to the ‘Powers that Were’.
Glenn Greenwald
Greenwald gave Key a fairly good dressing down over his unprofessional remarks (‘henchman’ and ‘loser’) and his knee-jerk reaction to what Key suspected might be revealed tonight. He noted that Key has responsed by de-classifying information that had selectively been ‘classified’ without being actually declared a risk to national security.
He noted that despite the Prime Minister stating that Greenwald is being paid to be here, he is not. Greenwald turned down financial compensation and asked that his usual speaking fee be donated to charity.
Greenwald pointed out that while people have different opinions on Edward Snowden, the quality and accuracy of the information Snowden released has never been questioned.
He said that while Key said that mass surveillance on New Zealanders was only a proposal that was ultimately dismissed, internal discussion within the NSA termed “Project Speargun” as underway, with Phase One (the undersea cable connections) being completed.
Greenwald pointed out that Key lied blatantly that the new internet bill would give the government any new powers for data collection.
Greenwald comments that the assumption was made that the law would pass in time such that actions taken by the government that were illegal at the time, would be covered once the legislation came into effect.
In his summary, he makes reference to Key’s statement regarding resignation and the information recently disclosed.
Edward Snowden
Snowden pointed out that the NSA actually has facilities in New Zealand that John Key is aware of, one of those being in Auckland and one further north.
He described his most recent role at the NSA and spoke about XKeyscore and how it operates within the FVEY (Five Eyes) Network comprised of the security services of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
He descibed how the NSA has access to everyone’s data, including how he could go about reading John Key’s email and how he knows mass surveillance is happening in New Zealand as part of the NSA network is located here in NZ.
Snowden questioned Keys decisions in determining what New Zealanders should and should not know about data collection – and his motives for sudden document de-classification.
He asked the question, ‘why did the release of this information not matter last year when New Zealander’s rights were on the line, but it is relevant now that one persons [the Prime Minister’s] reputation is on the line?’
Snowden reiterated that the NSA’s proposed programs that were not legal in NZ at the time, and while they were illegally underway – said that NZ needed to pass new legislation in order to make the actions legal. And so a foreign power, the US, by way of the NSA – is dictating law in NZ.
Julian Assange
After a humourous moment with a vacuum cleaner, Assange pays tribute to New Zealand’s own Nicky Hager for paving the way to this type of information release in the early 1990’s with his book Secret Power.
He goes on to discuss the Five Eyes Alliance and how New Zealand, in conjunction with the other Five Eyes countries have tried to go about creating a new structure of civilisation – and how the people of New Zealand are not likely to back the actions of their government in the creation of such an Orwellian undertaking – should they be aware of it.
Assange noted that the ‘powers that be’ within the GCSB have exchanged the rights of New Zealanders in order to have this position within the Five Eyes Alliance. New Zealand is seen as a junior partner by some, however it is equal in status to the other countries in the alliance, except the United States.
He noted that covert agencies are not to be trusted as there is no scrutiny of them.
Dotcom thanked Snowden and Assange for what they are doing for all internet users worldwide.
Assange pointed out that all three of them (Dotcom, Snowden and himself) share the same prosecutor. He referenced that fact that the US is making efforts for their laws to be applied worldwide.
They are applying their laws in NZ, taking control of the New Zealand police force and attempting to dictate extraditions – the US effectively annexing New Zealand by way of the major power factions in Washington DC. This becomes a problem for the whole world, with 69 nations being called into extradition cases by the the NSA in Alexandria, Virginia.
Dotcom notes that there are two ways we can fight surveillance, the first being politically, and the secondl being encryption.
Both Julian and Edward were connected to the broadcast via Mega’s new fully encrypoted video conferencing solution.
Bob Amsterdam
Amsterdam makes reference to Key playing golf with Obama after the New Year holiday in Hawaii. He notes “free trade” and how Canada is now under 80% foreign ownership.
He warns that the TPP Agreement would see the loss of New Zealand’s sovereignty and how this “free trade” agreement is driven by vested interests and Hollywood, forcing other countries to change their Intellectual Propert laws to suit these interests.
Greenwald warns that with Key’s background as a currency trader [with Merryl Lynch], he is now playing with a limited number of chips and is imporvising, with one of those chips being New Zealand law.
He noted that the New Zealand Law Society complained to the United Nations about our governments use of expediency in passing these laws.
He stated also:
“As I hear the use of the word ‘terror’ on the streets of Auckland – who is attacking New Zealand?” |
Our governments are trying to alienate us from eachother and they are using terror to invade our homes, and to invade our internet accounts and to invade our most private constitutional rights.
These trade representatives have agreed that they need secrecy so we don’t get pissed off – and they have that secrecy for four years.
In a democracy is that really how these trade aggrements should be undertaken?
He points out that our governments have agreed to this and that is how these agreements are taking place.
There is an exportation of American law and a militarisation of justice.
Amsterdam referenced the topic of dirty politics and observed that what is happening here in New Zealand now is like Watergate with email.
He suggests a Royal Inguiry into the behaviour of the Key government.
Amsterdam also observed that in the era of the internet, our Prime Minister, ( who is inherently a trader who doesn’t adhere to the fundamental principles of human rights) that with what was done with the raid on Dotcoms home in a democratic society – the leader of that government should have resigned on that day.
Add to that, the recently uncovered information; as a country we really need to come together and put the feet of the next government to the fire – that what are or fundament rights cannot be taken away.
History shows that when a government becomes empowered with information that it will ultimately turn on its own citizens.
It is time to stop the TPPA under its present conditions.
Laila Harre Sums up
Harre thanks Nicky Hager for kicking off this whole sequence of events with his book Dirty Politics and the framework that it provided.
She advised that with this education that people bear all of this in mind when the Prime Minister finds his diary and begins to make his excuses tomorrow.
Video: (Duration is 2:06 – Broadcast begins at 22:00)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbps1EwAW-0?feature=player_embedded&w=640&h=360]
