A new five-part RNZ podcast series, The Service, launched today, reveals that New Zealand’s security intelligence
agency, the SIS, carried out multiple clandestine raids, breaking into foreign embassies in Wellington in the latter
part of the 1980s, in breach of the Vienna convention.
The story has been brought to light by Wellington writer and documentary maker John Daniell, whose mother and
step-father both worked for the SIS.
Nearly 40 years on, in Episode 1 of The Service, John and RNZ investigative journalist, Guyon Espiner, try to discover
the truth behind a story John’s step-dad told him before he died; a story of a joint SIS/MI6 raid on the Czechoslovakian
embassy in Wellington to steal secret codes.
Only a handful of people knew about the operation, which has been one of New Zealand’s most closely-guarded security
secrets of the Cold War.
The Service is presented and produced by RNZ investigative reporter Guyon Espiner and writer and documentary maker John
Daniell.
Episode 1 of The Service is released Monday 8 th June: rnz.co.nz/theservice.