'Stop the Spies' protesters thwart cyber-attacks speech

Privacy Commissioner John Edwards was forced to cancel a speech by Una Jagose, the acting director of the Government Communications Security Bureau, after two protesters interrupted the event, claiming the spy agency was involved in drone attacks across the globe.

Ms Jagose was to deliver a speech on cyber-attacks at the National Library in Wellington as part of the commission's technology and privacy forum when the two 'Stop the Spies' protesters unfurled a banner and refused to leave.

She declined to speak with the banner in front of her, forcing Mr Edwards to cancel the session.

Protester Valerie Morse says the forum was a "five eyes propaganda exercise", referring to the intelligence sharing alliance between New Zealand, Australia, the US, Canada and UK, which sought "to legitimise an agency which is fundamentally contrary to the interests of most people in this country and indeed most people of the world."

She claimed the GCSB was involved in drone assassinations and attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Why is the privacy commissioner, who is tasked with upholding the privacy of ordinary people in this country hosting the single most secretive agency in this country," she told a crowd of some 80 people.

Ms Morse says as a former librarian and employee of the National Library she objected to them hosting Ms Jagose.

Mr Edwards thanked the two protesters for their contribution and says there was the opportunity for questions after Ms Jagose's speech, but was forced to call off the event when they refused to take down the banner.

"The views of a wide range of members in our community are important to any discussion about the appropriate limits of state power," Mr Edwards says.

The commissioner says the event will be rescheduled.

The other protester, who refused to give her name, said Stop the Spies was set up in response to a review of New Zealand's security and intelligence agencies, which includes the GCSB and the Security Intelligence Service.

The review will look at the legislation governing the agencies and the protection of individual rights.

(BusinessDesk)