Key's credibility crushed after Dotcom denial

John Key has been branded a liar by the Labour Party after admitting he knew about illegal spying in the Kim Dotcom case.

Reports yesterday revealed the Prime Minister admitted he was briefed over the Dotcom case in February but insists he can’t remember the conversation surrounding the spy agency’s role in the case.

Now Labour have pounced on the opportunity to twist the knife, with leader David Shearer questioning Key's explanation that he forgot about the February meeting.

“This isn’t a case of ‘brain fade’," Shearer says.

"It points to the Prime Minister not telling the truth.

"His credibility and integrity, and the entire intelligence network that he heads, are seriously in question.

“The only way this can be cleared up is to have the full, wide-ranging inquiry that I called for in my letter to John Key last week.

“No other inquiry will have any credibility in the eyes of New Zealanders.

"There must be an investigation from the bottom to the very top, including the role of the person in charge - John Key.

"That investigation should include what he knew, what he was told and what he should have known."

Key originally condemned the spying from the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), but was later forced to acknowledge visiting GCSB offices and being informed of the plans over six months ago.

“Just a few days ago, John Key was quite happily dumping on the guys at the bottom in a desperate attempt to avoid scrutiny of his own role," Shearer says.

"Yet today we have proof that there were failures at the very top.

“The Prime Minister is supposed to be in ‘control’ of our intelligence agencies. That’s his job.

"He has let Kiwis down and undermined New Zealand’s reputation for honesty and integrity.

“His lax attitude and continual claims that he either doesn’t read material or isn’t aware of what’s going on under his own nose just doesn’t cut it.

“As does the confirmation that Roy Ferguson, the head of the Intelligence Coordination Group, knew all about the role of GCSB in the Dotcom arrest but didn’t tell the very man he reports to – John Key.

“Kiwis must be able to trust that our intelligence agencies are following the law and are being properly overseen.

"I am again asking John Key to treat this with the seriousness it deserves as Prime Minister.

"He owes New Zealanders nothing less."

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