NSA/GCSB spying shown on NZ television

[pgut001@cs.auckland.ac.nz]

20/20 today had a segment on the operation of the GCSB (Government 
Communications Security Bureau), the trading name of the NSA in New Zealand.
This was motivated by the recent publication of Nicky Hagers book "Secret 
Power" which goes into great detail about the operation of the GCSB (it has 
floor plans of the monitoring stations, details of operations, staff, names 
and contact numbers, etc etc - it's a very well researched book covering the 
day-to-day running of an intelligence agency).
 
In the 20/20 segment, Nicky and a reporter managed to get through the security 
perimeter at the Waihopai base with a camera and ladder, climbed up to the 
windows, and shot footage of the interior of the base through 
improperly-closed curtains.  The main operations room had racks of equipment 
which is hard to identify (it's not a very good shot), along with tables 
containing PClone monitors and HP II's[1].  Unfortunately the resolution isn't 
good enough to show what's being displayed on the monitors.  Another shot of 
an office showed a desk with Intelsat operations manuals, providing, for the 
first time, direct proof of whose traffic is being monitored - not the 
Russians, not the Chinese, but NZ's pacific neighbours and trading partners.  
The intercepted traffic is then passed straight back to the NSA for analysis.
AFAIK there's never been any direct, documented proof of what these bases are 
intercepting - the dishes are pointed in the right direction for intercepting 
Intelsat transmissions, but the various agencies have been able to deny the 
nature of the interception.  The footage of operations manuals on a desk would 
seem to prove beyond a doubt that the agencies are engaged in large-scale 
interception and monitoring of civilian communications.
 
It was rather unfortunate that the program was shown at the same time as the 
political leaders debate on another channel (we have an election in four days 
time), because virtually noone will have watched 20/20.
 
Peter.

[1] Given that the windows looked like plain glass and that these things have 
a control zone that reaches halfway to Antarctica, I'd love to park outside 
the base with certain pieces of receiving equipment...