Firms have bunker meeting
Police arranged for a Thompson & Clark-organised oil industry meeting to be hosted in the ‘‘bunker’’ – the secure crisis management centre beneath the Beehive.
The way the private investigation firm had access to such a sensitive venue courtesy of the police is further evidence of the ‘‘longstanding relationship’’ between the two organisations, says Greenpeace NZ’s executive director, Russel Norman.
‘‘It’s symbolic – being invited down there in this very formal way can only send a message to all of their clients that this is an agency that is treated with respect by the New Zealand Police. Police need to think when they did this, they were giving their stamp of approval, and yet these are private investigators who have paid informants to spy on people.’’
A Stuff Circuit investigation, called Unseen, revealed police are not covered by the State Services Commission inquiry into government agency relationships with the controversial firm. Police have not answered Stuff
Circuit questions about their dealings with Thompson & Clark over an animal activist group, despite concerns over surveillance and sharing of information. There are also questions about surveillance of Greenpeace.
A tranche of documents released to Greenpeace under the Official Information Act, however, has shown a glimpse of the relationship.
The documents were from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) but include details about the September 2015 meeting in the bunker – the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC), where national emergencies are co-ordinated.
The meeting was for the Taranaki Oil & Gas Security Working Group, a government and private sector forum organised by Thompson & Clark to share security advice.
‘‘It is . . . going to be held at the NCMC [Bunker],’’ says an email from a Thompson & Clark staff member to participants. ‘‘NZ Police has organised for this.’’ A police spokeswoman told
Stuff Circuit the meeting was held in the bunker because the appropriate meeting room at police headquarters was booked out.
The meeting agenda included a presentation from the operations manager for the National Security Systems Directorate, of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC), about New Zealand’s national security system.
A calendar invite issued by Thompson & Clark was sent to representatives of police, DPMC, and oil companies Anadarko, Methanex, Stat Oil, Chevron, NZ Oil & Gas, OMV and Woodside. At least two MBIE staff members also attended.
The documents also provide an insight into the lengths the company went to fostering relationships with civil servants.
In an email to two MBIE staff after the meeting, a Thompson & Clark representative wrote to give them some background and seek further contact.
‘‘TOGS was an idea of mine and is charged by the local Taranaki police commander,’’ the email read, encouraging the two staff to attend future meetings in New Plymouth. ‘‘Apart from hearing you love your skiing like I do, we haven’t had a chance to formally meet and I was wondering if we could grab a coffee and a catch up the next time I am in town?’’
A reply came back the next day: ‘‘I’d be happy to catch up when you’re next in Wellington. I’m keen to hear about your company – I’ve seen the name attached to various media releases over the years but know little more! And yes – always keen to discuss skiing.’’
A coffee meeting followed within weeks.
Many of the emails show the lengths to which Thompson & Clark used its state sector contacts to seek business.
In an email asking for details for De Grey Mining in Northland, a Thompson & Clark staff member wrote to an MBIE official: ‘‘Would you have any ideas as to who I could contact to discuss whether we could provide security risk management services for them, I believe that protest is imminent?’’
In that case, the MBIE official responded saying they had passed on the email to De Grey.
But in other cases, officials passed on contact details directly. ‘‘Here you go sunshine,’’ said one official, passing on an email address.
The government inquiry into links between the company and government agencies is being run by the State Services Commission.
Police are excluded because they are not subject to the commission’s code of conduct.
Thompson & Clark director Gavin Clark declined to answer questions from Stuff Circuit, saying: ‘‘We don’t comment on operational matters, other than to say that we operate within the law and comply with the industry standards and code of conduct.’’