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Forum Takes Off

Over 500 students attended the Forum held on Tuesday to discuss the implications of the current SIS Amendment Bill and to find out what moves can be made to oppose it.

All four speakers were people already publically opposing the Bill, their only point of difference being whether they favour amendment to the Bill or that it be thrown out altogether.

David Lange, who earlier in the week joined a demonstration in Auckland to oppose the Bill, voiced the concern felt by many at placing control of SIS bugging and interception activities in the hands of the Prime Minister, or any other politician.

Lange spoke of a "Fear situation where a politician has the power to keep tabs on people for his own political purpose". When questioned, Lange stated that the Labour Party would oppose the Bill in the House, receive submissions on it to their own "committee" and would throw it out if they become the Government.

Lange said that in the event of the Bill being passed in its present form he would use his Parliamentary Privilege to name members of the SIS if a case arose where he felt it necessary.

Next up was Walter Scott, Vic Council member as well as being Chairman of the Council for Civil Liberties. He concentrated on the University situation and told the meeting that there were cases known to him where members of the Vic teaching staff in the past had been working as informants or agents for the SIS. He also informed the meeting of the motion passed at Monday's Council meeting (see Report) opposing the Bill.

However, it took Pat Kelly of the Wellington Trades Council to put the Bill into perspective as part of a concerted attack by the Government on Civil Rights. He cited the Industrial legislation and "Human Rights" Bill as examples of the direct attack on the working class to let them bear the brunt of economic mismanagement. The Trades Council, he said, was clearly committed to opposing the Bill in any way and would continue to do so until it is thrown out.

The CSSO representative Jim Delahunty then went on to talk specifically about the implications of the Bill for State workers—that they will be put in a position of having to work for the SIS and if they refused they would be unable to tell anyone they had been approached. The Bill would mean parents being asked to spy on their children or husbands on their wives, unable to tell anyone even if they refused as they would be liable to imprisonment or a $1,000 fine.

After brief discussion following the speakers a call was made for an impromtue visit to 175 Taranaki Street (phone 843 892), one of the SIS buildings in Wellington, to voice opposition directly to the spies. Several hundred students joined together and carrying the banners displayed at the forum marched through town to the SIS building distributing leaflets on the way. At the building attempts were made to put up posters on the walls. These however, were quickly removed by the police who had rushed there after being taken unawares by the march. Publicity gained by this action was large, the demonstration was even the first item on the 6.30 pm news.

If this Bill is to be stopped the Government must be shown the strength of public opinion against it; every expression of opposition is important if New Zealanders are to retain at least some of their Democratic rights.

—Sue Cairney (David Murray wrote the part about the singing).