Govt urgency on Secrets Act

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33815, 11 April 1975, Page 2

Govt urgency on Secrets Act

(Aew Zeotana Press Association t WELLINGTON, April 10. A bill to replace the Official Secrets Act was being prepared as a matter of urgency, said the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling) today.

The Attorney-Genera! (Dr Finlay) was taking up the matter immediately. “He will see how quickly the law can he drafted.”

Mr Rowling was speaking after a 45-minute meeting with a deputation led by the president of the Council for Civil Liberties (Mr W. J. Scott). Mr Scott said the present act was unreasonable and unjustifiably wide in some of its provisions. Also, some provisions were repugnant.

The deputation suggested to Mr Rowling that the act be repealed and that its spying provisions be transferred to the Crimes Act. “Difficult*’ Mr Rowling said later that Dr Finlay, who also met the denutation, said such a procedure would be difficult. ‘•We wanted more than what the Government was prenared to go," Mr Scott said. “But it’s clearly their intention to initiate a replacement.” The need for the Securitv Intelligence Service — or a similar agency — was not discussed, but Mr Scott said he hoped to take that up with the Government later. Mr Rowling said that the Government initially intended to appoint a committee to study the present act — in fact the Government caucus this morning chose its four representatives for the committee. National ‘out* The Prime Minister had invited the . Opposition to nominate its three members, but the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Muldoon) replied bv letter this afternoon sayine he would prefer the Government to bring in amending legislation. “The Government brought the subject up.” Mr Muldoon told Mr Rowling. Mr Rowling said it probably would have been dealt with more expeditiously if a

committee had studied the act, but added that he did not want to make it a party political issue. “The legislation is out of keeping with the way in : which we live,” he said. The replacement bill would I be compact and might not even be called the Official I Secrets Act, Mr Rowling

'said. The Franks report on ■Britain’s Official Secrets Act would be used as a starting point. The New Zealand act, modelled on the 1911 British act, was introduced in New Zealand in 1951. The prosecution of Dr W. B Sutch this vear was the first under the act.