The C.I.A. in New Zealand

Press, 24 May 1977, Page 18

The C.I.A. in New Zealand

The naming of Mr Daniel Cameron of the United States Embassy as a member of the Central Intelligence Agency is not in itself important, even if it is correct information. The C.LA. appears to have agents in most countries in the world so that no particular significance attaches to finding an agent in Wellington. Presumably, if the identification of Mr Cameron is correct, he was already known to some New Zealand security officials. What is important is what C.LA staff do in New Zealand and whether the New Zealand Government is fully acquainted with their activities. This is the nub of the charges made by Dr M. E. Bassett, a former Labour member of Parliament. If the C.LA. had, for instance, been bribing New Zealand trade union officials to persuade their members to take action serving the interests of the United States, that would certainly constitute interference in New Zealand’s domestic affairs. The allegations made by Dr Bassett fall far short of that. When the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said that he was the only person in the Government who knew exactly what was happening on security

matters, he was speaking, presumably, as Minister in charge of the S.I.S. His predecessors, Mr Rowling and the late Mr Kirk, had the same access to security information. The Prime Minister of the day decides whether to pass on to his Cabinet, or to the Leader of the Opposition, any confidential information Mr Muldoon withheld from Mr Rowling last year a confidential report from the former Chief Ombudsman, Sir Guy Powles, on the 5.1.5., because Mr Rowling declined to give the assurances Mr Muldoon sought. Mr Rowling may have been offended by Mr Muldoon’s insistence on a written undertaking, but Mr Muldoon had at least not denied the right of the Leader of the Opposition to have access to the same information as the Prime Minister.

President Carter condemned the “ dirty tricks brigade ” of the C.LA. before he took office. If Mr Muldoon can persuade the President that the C.I.A. in New Zealand has been guilty of interference in New Zealand’s domestic affairs he will assuredly order the practice to cease But Mr Muldoon will need better evidence than Dr Bassett has so far produced, or even hinted that he could produce.