N.Z. 'proxy for Australia’s espionage’

Press, 19 February 1988, Page 3

N.Z. 'proxy for Australia’s espionage’

By

CHRISTOPHER MOORE

The establishment of a satellite communication interception facility in the Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, suggested that New Zealand was acting as a proxy for Australia’s espionage apparatus, said the national co-ordinator of the Australian AntiBases Campaign Coalition, Mr Ken Mansell, in Christchurch last evening. Mr Mansell will be among the guest speakers at a protest meeting in the Waihopai Valley tomorrow morning. “New Zealand’s actions in establishing this facility mean that this country is acting as proxy for the Australian spying apparatus. A similar station is proposed for Geraldton in Western Australia. “The two facilities appear to be connected. They were announced within a short time of each other and their dish construction is similar,” Mr Mansell said. While the Austr alian Government hay’ an-

nounced the establishment of the Geraldton base in a defence White Paper, the New Zealand Government had failed to make any public statement on the Waihopai facility. But the two stations were designed to intercept satellite communication, including private telephone calls. “I see this as an extension of general spying activities in the region. There is no doubt that the Australian and New Zealand Governments are concerned about recent events in the Pacific. “The Fijian coup caused particular concern — and Waihopai is definitely capable of intercepting private telephone calls from Fiji. New Zealanders should now demand that their Government comes clean about spying activities in the region.” Although the security questions were difficult to. penetrate, the public had a right to know details of the station and whether it infringed on civil liberties.