P.M. sneaked visit to Waihopai—activist

Press, 2 November 1989, Page 4

P.M. sneaked visit to Waihopai—activist

PA Wellington A peace activist, Mr Owen Wilkes, has accused the Prime Minister, Mr Palmer, of “sneaking” to Blenheim to open the Waihopai satellite station. Mr Palmer’s staff, however, say the Prime Minister did visit the station on September 8, but only in his capacity as Minister in Charge of the Security Intelligence Service. Mr Wilkes said that given the public debate about the station and the Government’s “great play” of increased openness, the “opening” date should have been made public. ' Peace activists have been campaigning against Waihopai for more than a year. The Government has revealed little about the station, but in March last year the Minister of Defence, Mr Tizard, said in Australia: “We are building satellite interception equipment in the South Island and I understand that will be

compatible with what the ' Australians are establishing or have established.” In April this year the then domestic and external security co-ordinator, Mr Gerald Hensley, told the Parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and Defence that the base would not have the capabilities to listen into domestic telephone calls. He would not comment on private international telephone calls or facsimiles. The centrepiece of Waihopai is an 18m antenna inside a 30m dome. In spite of Mr Hensley’s assurance, Mr Wilkes said yesterday the station does spy on private and commercial Telecom communications, in breach of Article 22 of the 1982 Nairobi Convention which calls on signatories to ensure the secrecy of international transmissions. Waihopai is controlled by the Government Security Communications Bureau. Its size is unknown, but the Government revealed for the first time this year that its present budget is $22 million.