Spy claims: Cunliffe checks with former Labour leaders

David Cunliffe, Leader of the Labour Party visits students at Auckland University. Photo / Getty Images

Labour leader David Cunliffe says he has sought reassurance from former Labour Prime Minister Helen Clark about the party's role in recent spying revelations.

Speaking to media while campaigning at the University of Auckland today, Mr Cunliffe said he had spoken to each of the former Labour leaders "to ascertain whether there were any issues that I need to be concerned about as the current leader in this dimension and the answer is no, Labour has always responsibly and properly conveyed its role in respect of the security portfolios".

He said he spoke to Ms Clark "in the last few weeks" and she gave him "absolutely no indication" that Labour had any role in setting up any NSA agents or spy bases in New Zealand.

Ms Clark "has no concerns about the privacy of New Zealanders being compromised and she stands absolutely by the integrity of her government", Mr Cunliffe said.

He also said he was not reassured by a statement from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Cheryl Gwyn that she had not yet come across any indiscriminate interception of New Zealanders' data during her ongoing review of whether the GCSB had been acting within its restrictions.

"There are a number of grey areas that New Zealanders want clarity on -- is metadata given the same protections as data? Do you need a warrant to access information about New Zealanders from third parties? And is cyber security a easy way out around other protections?

"That's why we're committed to a full review and guaranteeing New Zealanders the privacy and protections that they need.

"I have high regard for Cheryl Gwyn, I'm saying that there are still grey areas that she may or may not have been able to cover so far."

Mr Cunliffe said Monday night's Moment of Truth event organised by internet Party founder Kim Dotcom and the associated revelations it raised had created a diversion from core policy issues this election.

"I think the issues that New Zealanders want to talk about are the issues about them getting a decent job, them getting a recovery, them getting a home to live in that they can own, them getting the kids through school and through varsity.

"Those are the issues that people are telling me they care about and frankly, people have had about enough of Kim Dotcom.

"I want the next 72 hours to be a summary of the real issues that affect New Zealand."

He defended spending his last days before the election campaigning solely in Auckland, saying a third of the country's population lived in the city and "by the time you take travel time out, it's more effective for me to be helping generate the ... maximum turnout around the Auckland region than it is travelling up and down the country".

"We carefully considered the options."