Shaw James: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeShaw James: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 05 November 2015. Volume:709;Page:7737. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]2.JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister in charge of the NZ Security Intelligence Service: Does he have confidence in the NZSIS in light of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security’s conclusion that the agency did not have “sound compliance procedures and systems in place”; if so why?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister in charge of the NZ Security Intelligence Service): Yes because the SIS is making very good progress towards improving its compliance procedures and systems—something that the inspector-general acknowledged in her report.James Shaw: When was the Minister first made aware that the SIS had breached the law by not providing a copy of the visual warrants to the inspector-general as referred to in her report?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: From memory about a fortnight before the inspector-general released her report.James Shaw: Was it the inspector-general or the SIS who told the Minister that the SIS had breached the law by not providing a copy of the visual warrants to the inspector-general as referred to in her report?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: It was the SIS itself because the director in her weekly meeting with me mentioned it and formally apologised to me.James Shaw: Will he remove the new visual surveillance powers that he granted the SIS given the finding that it has misused these powers 100 percent of the time?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: Well that is in fact totally wrong. I am not some kind of Joe Stalin who can simply remove the provisions of a statute—Grant Robertson: It’s an aspiration though Chris isn’t it?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: It may be an aspiration. That is the job of Parliament. What I can say is that the inspector-general has done a very good job. The SIS has undertaken to improve its procedures. One thing I can say to the honourable member is that the relevant section talks about doing things as soon as practicable which is a very flexible and frankly unsatisfactory term. I think the language needs to be tightened up but these and other matters can await the review which is shortly to be released.James Shaw: How many people have been wrongly denied security clearance because the SIS failed to follow its legal obligation of procedural fairness?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: Well I cannot answer that. What I can say is that deficiencies have been identified in the vetting procedure which goes back many years and these issues are being addressed by the SIS and by the director. I have great confidence in the director to put things right. Just last week for example I was having a meeting with vetting staff about ways in which the vetting procedures could be improved.James Shaw: Will he instruct officials to reassess those New Zealanders who have been wrongly denied security clearance because the SIS failed to follow its legal obligation of procedural fairness?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: I do not know whether I can get myself involved in operational matters. What I can say is that the director who is a very careful and professional woman is looking at those issues right now.James Shaw: Will the director of the SIS face any consequences for the breaches of law that have happened on her watch?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: I am not into witch hunts. I am more interested in putting things right as LV Martin used to say. It is extremely important that these lapses be addressed in a professional and thorough manner and as I have said I have great confidence in the director to do exactly that.