Call for Royal inquiry into computer use

Press, 25 February 1986, Page 2

Call for Royal inquiry into computer use

PA Wellington A Royal Commission of Inquiry should be set up to look at the grey areas surrounding usage of the Wanganui computer, said the Police Association's president, Mr Keith Morrow, yesterday. “There is obviously mistrust and doubt in the minds of police and people alike,” he said. Publicity over widespread misuse of the computer and a problem which arose last year between the police and customs officers at Auckland Airport, meant an inquiry would be timely, Mr Morrow said. As a result of

statements from a former police sergeant there were two inquiries being set up. “But they are both really narrow in their application. What I’m talking about is that instead of these inquiries we should look at the doughnut and not the hole,” he said.

“We can see a situation of holding these two inquiries, with each doing their own thing, and a month from now it blows out again in another spot.”

The computer had been running for 10 years. Philosophies had changed since then and it would be

timely for the whole Wanganui Computer Centre Act to be re-evalu-ated.

He did not believe the misuse was as widespread as people believed, but the area of use was too grey.

Off-duty policemen who saw suspicious vehicles and used the computer could be considered a grey area of use.

Police officers became concerned last year when customs officers were asking for what the police believed was information outside recognised procedures.

They were not happy with the reply they received from national headquarters so approached the Police Association, Mr Morrow said.

Computer use was becoming all encompassing and it may be that the inquiry found it was not worth “a candle.”

“It may be that they decide to rip it out.”

Mr Morrow said access codes to the computer could be looked at. A full Commission of Inquiry is supported by the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties.

The council’s president, Mr Jack Shallcrass, said a lot of sensitive information about people was stored on the computer and it was difficult to make it secure.

“The computer is such a big national thing that it is very important that the public should feel confident in it,” he said.

The moment the public loses confidence then everybody who has anything to do with it must feel vulnerable, specially the police.”