GCSB dragging their feet

Last year we learned that the GCSB had been systematically breaking the law and spying on New Zealanders. In addition to a law-change to legalise the abuses, the Kitteridge report made numerous recommendations on how to bring the GCSB back into compliance with the law. And the GCSB is ignoring them:

Of 80 recommendations intended to fix the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), just 35 have been completed.

[...]

The first two reports released in June and September showed 34 recommendations had been completed.

The latest update from December - not released but supplied when sought by the Herald - showed just one new recommendation was met in the latest reporting period. It means a total of 35 recommendations have been completed with 45 to go and a June deadline looming.

[...]

For the first time, the progress report also included partially completed recommendations. It shows another 27 are in progress - leaving 18 recommendations on which there appears to be no progress at all.

John Key's response? Give them a free pass for this foot-dragging by simply extending their deadline for compliance.

This isn't acceptable. The GCSB has grossly intrusive powers, and we need to be confident that they are being used legally. The GCSB Director had the task of implementing this report, and he has failed to do so. He needs to be sacked, and replaced with someone who will implement it.