GCSB cleared after spying for minister

The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) has been cleared of any wrongdoing after spying on foreign governments to help a former Cabinet minister land a plum job.

In a report yesterday, the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security Cheryl Gwyn said the GCSB did not act unlawfully by gathering intel to help former trade minister Tim Groser after he put his hand up to lead the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Revelations about the GCSB spying for Groser’s job bid first emerged in leaked documents.

Gwyn said the Government had made a foreign policy decision to support Groser as a candidate and the GCSB had a statutory responsibility to provide foreign intelligence assistance in support of New Zealand’s foreign policy objectives.

The Government’s decision to support Groser reflected a ‘‘considered assessment that Mr Groser would, if selected, advance the effective functioning of the WTO and so have a significant impact on New Zealand’s economic wellbeing’’.

‘‘In line with the Government’s decision and the foreign policy basis for that decision, the GCSB acted lawfully and appropriately in providing its assistance to the campaign.’’

The report details how former GCSB boss Ian Fletcher approached Groser in November with an offer to expand the agency’s regular intelligence gathering operations in relation to the WTO campaign. Groser ‘‘expressed his acceptance’’.

Groser was ultimately unsuccessful and was now New Zealand’s Ambassador to the United States.

Gwyn said that she had not expressed any view on whether contributing to New Zealand’s economic well-being was a proper objective for the GCSB: that was a question for Parliament, and had been considered in the recent review of governing legislation.

The inquiry did, however, closely scrutinise how the GCSB had ensured that it acted consistently with its legal and policy framework.

‘‘The inquiry found that the GCSB had informal but robust practices for managing and evaluating new requests for foreign intelligence information at the relevant times.

But while the GCSB had processes to assess any benefits and risks to its political neutrality from foreign intelligence gathering, these ‘‘were not rigorously followed’’.