Politics

McCully won't release advice on GCSB fallout

12:27 pm on 15 April 2015

The Minister of Foreign Affairs is refusing to release any advice or correspondence he received about the diplomatic fallout from disclosures New Zealand has spied on its neighbours.

Murray McCully Photo: RNZI / Jamie Tahana

Murray McCully says it would not be in the Government's interests to make the information public.

Documents released by US whistleblower Edward Snowden indicated the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) had not only spied on a range of countries but also in 2013 monitored the applicants for the job as World Trade Organisation director-general.

Radio New Zealand News asked Mr McCully for any advice or correspondence he had received about the diplomatic consequences of those disclosures.

Mr McCully has withheld the information, saying to make it available would likely prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand or the Government's international relations.