David Shearer
Labour Leader
1 August 2013
Key playing politics with national security
John Key is playing politics with New Zealand’s national security with today’s extraordinary comments about New
Zealanders with links to Al Qaeda, says the Labour Leader, David Shearer.
“If John Key has serious and credible information about security threats involving Al Qaeda it seems remarkable that he
would choose to make it public on breakfast radio. His comments – made without context or details – can only have
provoked public anxiety.
“This is classic John Key. He is under huge pressure over his legislation to extend the powers of the GCSB. So on the
very day the GCSB bill is to be debated again in Parliament, he starts talking about Al Qaeda - it is desperate stuff.
“As Prime Minister, Mr Key has access to very sensitive intelligence about national security. For him to use that
information for political purposes is unbecoming of a Prime Minister.
“I have worked and lived in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan where terrorism is a daily threat. I take security
matters seriously. But I also know distraction tactics when I see them.
“In the SIS and GCSB, we have agencies tasked with tackling threats to national security. If indeed they are monitoring
threats, John Key has just made their job that much harder by alerting any potential targets that the Government is on
to them.
“If John Key was taking this issue seriously he'd be in Parliament today to debate the GCSB legislation. Instead he is
scaremongering and playing political games. New Zealanders deserve better from their Prime Minister than that,” says
David Shearer.
ENDS