NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Spying fiasco went right to the top

David Fisher
By David Fisher
Senior writer·NZ Herald·
12 Dec, 2012 04:30 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The lawyer for Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom is keen to see any briefings given to the Prime Minister's advisers. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The lawyer for Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom is keen to see any briefings given to the Prime Minister's advisers. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The police organised crime squad that carried out the Kim Dotcom raid has given briefings to a high-powered group charged with protecting New Zealand's "national security".

The briefings to the subcommittee of the group known as "O-Desk" have the potential to draw John Key's closest intelligence advisers into the ongoing court inquiry into the raid.

This also contrasts with the Prime Minister's insistence the Dotcom fiasco is a sideshow. He said last month: "The Government actually doesn't care about Kim Dotcom. The person who cares about Kim Dotcom is Kim Dotcom."

The Organised and Financial Crime Agency of New Zealand led the helicopter raid by armed police on Dotcom's mansion at Coatesville, Auckland, at the request of the FBI.

Since then, the Herald has discovered it has given three briefings to the subcommittee, which is focused on NZ's response to organised crime.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The subcommittee is one of a few that feed into Odesc - the Officials Committee for Domestic and External Security Co-ordination.

It is a collection of spy agency, diplomatic, government, military and police leaders tasked to "act on the Prime Minister's behalf to exercise policy oversight of the New Zealand intelligence community".

Its terms of reference are to advise on matters of "national security, intelligence, and crisis management".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The briefings to the organised crime subcommittee will be sought by the tycoon's lawyers. Counsel William Akel said the connection would be a focus for ongoing court action. "We would like to see any briefing given by Ofcanz to Odesc."

Police spokesman Grant Ogilvie said the first briefing by Ofcanz was given to an Odesc subcommittee just 12 days after the first raid.

Two more briefings have been given since - in May and November. He said the briefings were updates on court actions.

Mr Ogilvie said Ofcanz briefings before the raid did not include any reference to Dotcom or his Megaupload company.

Discover more

Crime

Dotcom can pursue GCSB

05 Dec 10:50 PM
Entertainment

Dotcom wanted as Santa

07 Dec 01:28 AM
New Zealand

A centenary birthday bonus

09 Dec 11:00 PM
New Zealand

John Banks excused from court appearance

11 Dec 02:49 AM

Mr Key has adamantly denied knowing of Dotcom before the FBI-inspired raid in January. He said Odesc dealt with Ofcanz on a strategic level, with operational matters handled by police headquarters.

Odesc has a number of subcommittees, historically named Odesc (G), Odesc (I) and Odesc (P). The letters stand for Governance, Intelligence and Policy. The subcommittee to which Ofcanz reported was run by Secretary of Justice Andrew Bridgeman and was known as the "Odesc subcommittee on Ofcanz".

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said backbone support for the subcommittee was provided by Ofcanz and it attracted agencies tied to fighting organised crime including the Serious Fraud Office, Customs, Inland Revenue, Ministry of Justice and the Department of Internal Affairs.

The spokesman said the subcommittee had a focus on "high-level strategic consideration and advice is appropriate".

Odesc will face scrutiny for reasons beyond the Ofcanz reporting lines. It also has responsibility for oversight of the intelligence community, including the Government Communications Security Bureau.

Chief High Court Judge Helen Winkelmann has ordered the GCSB to join the police as a defendant in a case probing the illegal search and seizure on the day of the raid. The GCSB illegally spied on Dotcom in breach of its own law which protects New Zealand residents and citizens from intrusion - apparently because it did not realise he was a resident.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The illegal spying is being investigated by police after a complaint by Green Party co-leader Russel Norman. He said: "This is another group of people who should have known Kim Dotcom was a resident. Presumably they never asked if [the spying] was lawful."

He said the briefings to the oversight body were in contrast to the Prime Minister's comments.

The Herald has reported the GCSB knew in February that Dotcom was a resident but apparently failed to realise it had broken the law until seven months later.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Person critically injured in Levin crash

11 May 08:31 PM
New Zealand

'The silent killer': Heart Foundation's urgent blood pressure push

11 May 08:11 PM
Premium
Opinion

Roger Brooking: What prison statistics get wrong on violent crime rates

11 May 08:00 PM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Person critically injured in Levin crash, state highway closed

Person critically injured in Levin crash, state highway closed

11 May 08:31 PM

Two people were injured, one critically.

'The silent killer': Heart Foundation's urgent blood pressure push

'The silent killer': Heart Foundation's urgent blood pressure push

11 May 08:11 PM
Premium
Roger Brooking: What prison statistics get wrong on violent crime rates

Roger Brooking: What prison statistics get wrong on violent crime rates

11 May 08:00 PM
Crews battle suspicious Napier house fire

Crews battle suspicious Napier house fire

11 May 07:53 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP