Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 26. October 3 1977

[Introduction]

Back in 1969 the then Director of the SIS, Brigadier Gilbert, informed New Zealanders that this sevice used "whatever means available to us", that they "vary a great deal" and in answer to a question replied "Oh yes. We are expert in the use of bugging devices".

The SIS Amendments will give the SIS unlimited legal protection to use "whatever means" it feels it needs to use to gain 'Intelligence'.

The Amendments do this in two ways:
a) they legalise through 'interception warrants' previously illegal activities of the SIS;
b) they protect the SIS from public scrutiny by preventing any exposure of the service or its activities no matter how odious or misinformed.

Obviously the presence of such legislation must focus attention on its object—the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service. What does the service do and what effect will strengthening the SIS have on our democratic freedoms? We must answer these questions clearly if we are to come to an understanding of the Government's motives in pushing this legislation.