Fletcher resigns

The Herald reports:

Government Communications Security Bureau head Ian Fletcher is standing down after three years in the role.

GCSB Minister Chris Finlayson confirmed Mr Fletcher’s resignation this afternoon, saying it was “for family reasons”.

While there may be nothing at all to it, that phrase always makes me suspicious!

The minister said Mr Fletcher had decided that employing a new director would mean the same person could be involved in an upcoming statutory review of intelligence agencies and the implementation of any changes.

Makes sense, but is the the main reason?

Mr Little said Mr Fletcher’s three-year tenure had been a “rocky road” but noted that he had inherited some of the GCSB’s more problematic matters such as the fallout from the Kim Dotcom raid.

He said Mr Fletcher had done a “reasonably good job” leading the spying agency because New Zealand had not experienced the sort of cyber-attacks witnessed overseas.

I agree. The problems in the GCSB seem to have pre-dated Fletcher.

The Labour leader hoped the process of finding a new director was more transparent than the appointment of Mr Fletcher, which he said amounted to a shoulder-tap.

Fair to say that it would be better for the PM not to call any potential applicants directly. If he has names to suggest, he should just give them to the SSC to contact.