Visible member of the organisation

Press, 14 June 1983, Page 21

Visible member of the organisation

Brigadier John Smith lives at Pt Howard near Wellington. His address and telephone number are no secret. Indeed, he might be the only security chief in the Western world who is personally listed in the local telephone book. “Will I be shifting or seeking an unlisted number?” He repeats the question and looks startled, almost shocked.

“Why should I do that? I’m the visible member of the organisation. That’s what I’m meant to be. I’ll still go running around the suburbs and take out my trailer sailer. “You see, in the old days people didn’t really understand what the S.LS. was about. But since Sir Guy’s report, things have changed a great deal.

“People aren’t so worried about us. Besides, New Zealand is a more sophisticated society now and we recognise the need for secrets in many facets of political life. “I just face the same problems as the permanent heads of Defence or Treasury — or all Government departments and large commercial organisations. “There’s obviously things that none of us can discuss. Things so personal or of sensitive intrinsic value. I’m sure other people do understand that.”

Even so, it is abundantly clear that many people do worry about the S.I.S. In 1980, the Prime Minister released a list of some Socialist Unity Party members. The list was considered inaccurate and critics claimed the S.I.S. research had been politicised by a Government bid to discredit the Labour Party. An equivalent 1981 analysis of Springbok protest “radicals” was again described as inaccurate, and offered evidence that the S.I.S. had exceeded its charter to monitor espionage, subversion, and terrorism.

“I don’t know the details. It is clear that the service must be apolitical in its internal assess-

ments. But Government use of a department’s information is another matter. A department provides material to the minister. What the minister then does is his decision.

“The integrity of the department is not altered. It is just that the politician, as is his function, is making use of the unbiased material supplied. It is the minister’s right to put a political gloss on the information provided.” But if this particular department operates in secrecy and is solely responsible to the Prime Minister, who allegedly uses the information for political gain? “Well, the Prime Minister is not' just Minister of the Security Intelligence Service. He’s also for instance, Treasury’s cabinet minister. There is always a minister for a department and sometimes that will be the Prime Minister.

“Still ...” He frowns and then his face lifts back into contentment as he returns to those “joys” — the S.I.S. Amendment Act and the Powles report. “Now, let’s look it up. Interesting one, this. Ah . . . well, if you read this bit it seems to indicate the service’s minister doesn’t necessarily have to be the Prime Minister. “So there you are,” he says, smoothing back the pages with satisfaction. Those books of rules can’t offer a complete protection against severe professional headaches. Mr Smith will have to apply a political, as well as legalistic, analysis of such words as “subversion” and “espionage.” His predecessor with a military background, Brigadier Gilbert, was criticised for a lack of political sophistication. Opponents claimed that Gilbert’s judgment of political attitudes was simplistic, naive, and therefore unfair to intelligent dissenters.

Did Mr Smith read political

philosophy? Had he, for instance, read Marx? Or M—?

“Yes. Yes, I have read M—. But I would rather that you didn’t mention that writer’s name.”

Why not? — “Well, it might provide some sort of ... ”

Some sort of hook for outside critics to get to grips with Mr Smith?

“Yes. That’s it, it would be a hook. A hook to climb up me. “Look, I don’t know about 'political sophistication.’ But I do think I have a sound sense of judgment after working with people like the former head of the Prime Minister’s Department, Sir Alister Mclntosh.

“Sheer modesty does make me say that the Army isn’t the only background that could qualify someone for this position. But I think the sort of experience I’ve had in the Army does equip me to head the service.”

John Smith takes up that apEintment at the beginning of July, the meantime he is working flat out to clear up loose ends at BP, and not giving any profound thoughts to the S.I.S. Not even Australia’s A. 5.1.0. row, which commentators claimed could eventually threaten the status and secrecy of the 5.1.5.? “No. I don’t know anything about it, really.” He didn’t hunt Wellington’s bookshops for imported copies of the “National Times.” The “National Times?" Yes, the Australian publication making A. 5.1.0. disclosures. “Oh, is that the ... No, I haven’t even bothered to look at any of it. All will be revealed when I turn up in July. All will be revealed.” He ushers the reporter out, offers the most vigorous of handshakes, the most open of smiles. “It will be interesting to see how everything turns out, won’t it? Still, my predecessors came out alive. So the odds are on my side.”