I have just spent a very productive hour listening to Radio New Zealand Sunday Morning on spying and mass surveillance:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/remote-player?id=20172825

The panel on the programme included Terence O’Brien, Professor Steven Ratuva, and Paul Buchanan. I was not expecting a conclusive word on the subject as issues floated from spying and mass surveillance to civil liberties. Five-eyes were mentioned profusely especially by Terence O’Brien highlighting its Anglo-Saxon character. Wish the panel had spent some more time on discussing civil liberties instead of just a wee smattering of it.

I am not against spying or even mass surveillance per se. After all spying is called the second-oldest profession for a reason. But the way this profession is now encroaching on civil liberties is a clear indicator of the lack of consummate professionals within the intelligence community. In the New Zealand context this community does not necessarily have to sit within the echelons of the bureaucracy but a desperation to cling on to these echelons actually reveals a serious turf war.

To keep yourself busy in such a situation you come up with less than professional endeavours which are evident from the Tim Groser issue discussed by the panel. Paul Buchanan rightly mentioned that even if the Tim Groser bid were to be successful; fairness and justice would have prevailed to limit Tim Groser from giving undue advantage to New Zealand.

The panel also discussed the utility of being a member of the five-eyes club for New Zealand as a small player. There are many advantages indeed which are otherwise beyond the limited capacity of New Zealand. On the contrary, is it due to the sheer overload of five-eyes data that has made professionalism drag through the mire?