Over on Liberation, Bryce Edwards asks whether the left is too naive about police surveillance. but he also drops this bombshell:
Even the Workers Party added Gilchrist to their internal strategic email discussion group - and Gilchrist forwarded the emails onto the police.So, under the guise of fighting "terrorism", the police were spying on political parties. That is simply unacceptable in a democracy. The SIG must be disbanded, and the officers responsible held to account.
Update: ...and Collins doesn't care. The Commissioner has said everything is hunky-dory, and that the spies are "working within their responsibilities" and she believes him. No word on what those responsibilities actually are, of course. Or where they get off on spying on political parties seeking election. Worse, Collins thinks it would be "inappropriate" for her to raise any more concerns; operational independence apparently meaning the police being allowed to do whatever they want with no political oversight. Can I have my democracy back, please?
