The former prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer has revealed the Soviet Union tried to penetrate New Zealand government systems and infiltrate the ruling Labour Party during the Cold War.
In an interview for The Service, a new RNZ podcast which explores Cold War espionage in New Zealand, Sir Geoffrey Palmer says the Russian spy agency was extremely active here from the mid-1980s.
Sir Geoffrey, and former intelligence figures interviewed for the podcast, say the Soviets were partly motivated by an opportunity they saw to stoke tensions between New Zealand and the US over the anti-nuclear law banning American warships from port visits.
RNZ investigative journalist Guyon Espiner worked with Wellington writer and documentary maker John Daniell to produce the podcast.
Guyon Espiner has the story.
