17 Mar 2015

NZ spying on Solomons 'deplorable': former special secretary

10:39 pm on 17 March 2015

A special secretary to the former Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands says he is dismayed that New Zealand appears to have spied on his emails.

Dr Philip Tagini served as a staffer in the office of Gordon Darcy Lilo, and says he had cordial dealings with New Zealand officials.

Documents show New Zealand set up a listening post in its embassy in Honiara to listen in on the mobile phone network and collect emails from former and current government employees.

Dr Tagini, who now works as a lawyer, says the exposure is a breach of his constitutional rights.

"I do not expect New Zealand to be spying on officials like myself and others who are actually working with very certain intentions to protect our country but as well to work with New Zealand and Australia to advance the common agenda of the region. To spy on officials and the government, I think that's deplorable, that's not acceptable."

Dr Philip Tagini says there are clear lines of communication and he can't understand why emails were gathered.

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