Heavy-handed SIS spies threaten academic freedom

Media Release
9 August 2009

Heavy-handed SIS spies threaten academic freedom

“We cannot afford to have a society where the SIS is spying on academics who are simply doing their job,” says TEU president Dr Tom Ryan.

“News that a highly-respected University of Auckland professor of law Jane Kelsey has been spied on by the SIS because of her professional work is intimidating for all academics. Our democracy will be weakened if tertiary researchers and teachers are scared off from questioning official policies in their own fields of expertise. But that seems to be exactly the outcome the SIS was aiming for with its long-running campaign against Dr Kelsey.”

“A chilling aspect of Dr Kelsey’s case is that the SIS appears to have been spying on her simply because of her views on our country’s economic and trade policies rather than any real concern that she might pose a physical or military risk. And much of the spying appears to have occurred in her university workplace.”

“We’ll be talking to other university stakeholders, especially students and vice-chancellors, about our concerns. On the basis of what we have read this morning, we believe New Zealand needs a commission of inquiry into the SIS. Existing legal protections for academic freedom clearly are inadequate,” said Dr Ryan.

ENDS