WELLINGTON: The Security Intelligence Service, the country's domestic spying agency, looks set to gain greater surveillance powers in an overhaul of terrorism laws despite Prime Minister John Key's acknowledgement of a "low" risk to this country. The new Cabinet met for the first time Oct 13, and featuring on the agenda was the rubber-stamping of an immediate review of anti-terror laws, primarily the Terrorism Suppression Act, which was put in place after the 2001 World Trade Centre attacks. Confirming the review he has now been discussing for several days, Key disclosed New Zealand's national threat level for the first time, saying it had recently been raised from "very low" to "low". That implies the threat of a terrorist attack is now seen as "possible but not expected". It has been raised to that only once before-temporarily during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Australia's level on the same scale is "high", suggesting a terror attack there is likely.
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