16 Sep 2020

Politicians' data collected by company believed to be used by China's intelligence service

From Morning Report, 7:15 am on 16 September 2020

A New Zealand academic who specialises in Chinese politics says data amassed by a company believed to be used by China's intelligence service shows a detailed knowledge of the New Zealand political landscape.

Politicians, their families and defence officials are included in a list identifying almost 800 New Zealanders.

The dataset was discovered by an American researcher Christopher Balding.

It has been pieced together with the help of cyber-security company Internet 2.0 and a team of international researchers, including Canterbury University professor Anne-Marie Brady.

Dr Brady, who specialises in political interference from China, speaks to Corin Dann.