New Zealand to have another acting head for foreign spying agency

New Zealand's foreign intelligence agency is to have its third head in just under a year as the government seeks permanent chief.

The government said Friday that chief legal advisor Lisa Fong would become acting director of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) from Feb. 15.

Minister Responsible for the GCSB Christopher Finlayson said in a statement that Fong, who had held her current role in the GCSB since April 2013, was a capable leader.

The State Services Commission was in the final stages of a recruitment process to find a permanent director of the GCSB, Finlayson said in a statement.

Current acting director Una Jagose was leaving the GCSB to become Solicitor-General.

Jagose became GCSB acting director on Feb. 28 last year, taking over from director Ian Fletcher, who left after a three-year tenure overshadowed by accusations of illegal spying and politicization of the intelligence services.

Fletcher led the implementation of a review of the GCSB's activities after it was found to have illegally spied on more than 80 New Zealand residents and citizens before 2012.

He was also in charge when the government passed a controversial law in August 2013 to extend the spying powers of the GCSB, so it could spy on New Zealand citizens and residents.

An official review of the GCSA and its sister agency the Security Intelligence Service is expected to report back by next month. Endit