"As it was understood to be"

Former PM Helen Clark has commented on the GCSB; Stuff reports:

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has confirmed the GCSB executed intercept warrants for the SIS during her Government but spying on New Zealanders "wasn’t their remit".
Clark, speaking in advance of the release of her new book At The UN, about her first four-year term as Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, said she was always "loyally and diligently" served by the intelligence services.
Clark said the Government Communications and Security Bureau acted within the law "as it was understood to be" and this included executing warrants for the Security Intelligence Service.
"I can assure you that I was always advised that what was being signed was legal."
She rejected that the Government Security Communications Bureau routinely spied on New Zealanders as that was "not part of their remit". 

The critical part of this comment is Miss Clark's statement that the GCSB "acted within the law "as it was understood to be" and this included executing warrants for the Security Intelligence Service." The fact that the Kitteridge inquiry discovered numerous instances where the GCSB may have acted unlawfully suggests that the 2003 legislation was not properly understood.

For this or any government to leave the law ambiguous, or open to an interpretation that was not the intent of the original law is unacceptable. Accordingly, the GCSB's mandate is being clearly stated in law so that there can be no ambiguity as to what GCSB can and cannot legally do in the future.

As PM, Helen Clark was wont to say "Nothing to see here; move on". She has effectively pulled the rug out from under those who are protesting against the Bill.