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78-415: The Waihopai Station is a secure communication facility, located near Blenheim , run by New Zealand 's Government Communications Security Bureau . The station started operating in 1989, and collects data that is then shared with New Zealand's allies. In 2021, it was announced that the parts of the station would be deconstructed and removed from the site. Several protests and disputes surrounding its use and

156-661: A "cable access programme" with the NSA but refused to clarify what that was or why the United States NSA was involved. In May 2014, 3 months prior to this revelation, John Minto , vice-president of the New Zealand Mana Party , had alleged that the NSA was carrying out mass surveillance on all meta-data and content that went into and out of New Zealand through the cable. This followed disclosure in 2013 by

234-732: A Values Party candidate for Pahiatua in the 1978 general election . After graduating from university, Hager worked at the ecology division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), and later worked with his brother-in-law building and renovating houses. Hager is an investigative journalist who has written seven books. As of July 2019 , the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), an international network that has 249 investigative reporters in over 90 countries, has Hager as one of only two New Zealand members. Hager works on

312-423: A buildup of clouds above the ranges. The highest recorded temperature is 37.8 °C, recorded on 7 February 1973. The lowest is −8.8 °C. The Blenheim urban area, as defined by Statistics New Zealand, covers 27.46 km (10.60 sq mi) and incorporates thirteen statistical areas. It had an estimated population of 30,600 as of June 2024, with a population density of 1,114 people per km . Before

390-553: A bypass. Blenheim is on the Main North Line , the northern part of the unofficially-named South Island Main Trunk Railway . The Coastal Pacific , a long-distance passenger train between Picton and Christchurch, stops at Blenheim railway station . The 1906 station has been listed NZHPT Category II since 1982. It is a standard Vintage station , with Tudor half-timbering and tile. A major rail freight facility

468-503: A contemporary chronic shortage of affordable housing for low and middle income earners. The Marlborough Region has a wide range of predominantly outdoor leisure activities and the relaxed lifestyle and the flourishing wine and gourmet food industry in Marlborough are enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike. Omaka Aerodrome , south of the town centre, is the setting for the two-yearly Classic Fighters Marlborough airshow. With

546-554: A database of Labour Party members, emails and donations which were used to attack the Labour Party. Also in 2011 the PM's office used its knowledge of secret SIS documents to tip off a right-wing blogger and arrange an attack on Labour leader Phil Goff, and drafted Official Information Act requests for a right-wing blogger to use in other attacks. In mid-June 2018, Hager accepted an apology and compensation for "substantial damages" from

624-538: A large emphasis on aircraft of World War One, it has been held since 2001. Seymour Square and Pollard Park are two of the town centres main attractions for walks and general tourism. Seymour Square is an open public area in the centre, containing the War Memorial and Clock Tower, unveiled in 1928, classified as a "Category I" ("places of 'special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value'") historic place by Heritage New Zealand . The Square

702-468: A leading author on U.S. intelligence agencies and the author of the books America's Secret Eyes in the Sky and The Ties That Bind . Secrets and Lies: The Anatomy of an Anti-Environmental PR Campaign was co-authored with Bob Burton and published in 1999. It documents the public relations information put out by Timberlands West Coast Limited in order to win public support for logging of native forests on

780-721: A meeting at Waihopai Station. The topic of discussion was interception of all traffic on the Southern Cross Cable . Due to New Zealand's isolated location, the cable is the only point of international internet and telecommunications access to and from New Zealand. New Zealand politician and Green Party co-leader, Russel Norman , criticised this, saying that it would enable the New Zealand and United States Government to spy on all of New Zealand's internet traffic. The office of National Party Prime Minister, John Key , denied these claims but admitted they were negotiating

858-719: A member of the Defence Force had illegally provided Hager with information for his book Other People's War . The NZSIS had seized two months' worth of his home phone's metadata in an attempt to track down the NZDF member. Ultimately, the phone data found no link between Hager and the suspected NZDF member. In August 2019, the acting Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security found that the spy agency had no reasonable grounds for suspecting espionage and had failed to exercise caution when investigating Hager's source. In August 2014, Hager published Dirty Politics: How attack politics

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936-662: A middle-class "socially aware" family. His father was from Vienna , Austria , a clothing manufacturer who emigrated to New Zealand as a refugee from the Nazis. His mother was born in Zanzibar (part of Tanzania ), where her father studied tropical medicine, and later grew up in Kenya and Uganda . His surname Hager is pronounced Har-gar, rhyming with lager . Hager studied physics at Victoria University of Wellington , where he also did an honours degree in philosophy. He stood as

1014-542: A number of projects at any given time, gathering information about them and looks for sources and mentors. Some projects "come together" but others can continue for a number of years. Secret Power: New Zealand's Role in the International Spy Network , published in 1996, was Hager's first book. The book investigates various spying techniques, including signals intelligence (Sigint), a form of electronic eavesdropping between countries. The information

1092-473: A sex ratio of 0.95 males per female, with 4,674 people (17.4%) aged under 15 years, 4,461 (16.6%) aged 15 to 29, 11,526 (43.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 6,162 (23.0%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 85.3% European/ Pākehā , 13.7% Māori , 3.9% Pasifika , 5.6% Asian , and 2.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.3, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer

1170-489: Is held biennially at Easter. State Highway 1 runs through Blenheim and State Highway 6 terminates at the junction of the two state highways. Blenheim is notable for a town of its size in that it does not have traffic lights at any intersection. Instead, roundabouts speed arterial traffic flow. Since the installation of roundabouts traffic volumes have quickly increased and upgrading options are being considered, e.g. traffic lights, longer two-lane approaches and even

1248-605: Is named after the Battle of Blenheim (1704) in the War of the Spanish Succession , where troops led by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough defeated a combined French and Bavarian force. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of " flax stream" for the town's Māori name, Waiharakeke . The sheltered coastal bays of Marlborough supported a small Māori population possibly as early as

1326-660: Is north of Blenheim at Spring Creek . The narrow-gauge Blenheim Riverside Railway runs through the town. The Marlborough Electric Power Board (MEPB) was formed in October 1923 and established the Blenheim's first public supply in April 1927, following the commissioning of the Waihopai hydroelectric power station 40 km southwest of Blenheim. Two diesel generators were commissioned at Springlands in 1930 and 1937 to supplement

1404-437: Is poisoning New Zealand’s political environment , featuring leaked emails between National Party figures and right-wing bloggers. According to Hager the book aims to tell the story of "how attack politics is poisoning NZ's political environment". Among the claims in the book are that during the 2011 election campaign a right-wing blogger, Cameron Slater , who is the son of former National Party President John Slater, obtained

1482-427: Is rare as the town is sheltered from cold southerly weather by the mountain ranges to the south. Rainfall and humidity is highest in winter and early spring, between June and October. The town's average annual rainfall is a little more than 700mm, with 81.5 precipitation days. Thunderstorms are an uncommon occurrence due to the sheltered climate. There is a higher likelihood in summer, when afternoon heating can generate

1560-483: Is shown in the participants' own words. Many of the party's previously anonymous major donors are identified and relations with them are documented. The book was initially prevented from being published when Brash obtained an injunction preventing anyone from publishing material from emails that had been stolen from him. At the time Brash was unaware that Hager had completed and was about to launch his book. However, on 23 November 2006, Brash announced his resignation from

1638-574: Is unsurprising, given that the conclusions that can be drawn are not palatable ones. The documents raise some serious questions about the level of open government New Zealand really has and the strength of our much-vaunted biosecurity regime." In November 2006 Hager's book The Hollow Men: A Study in the Politics of Deception was published. The book details a wide range of National Party internal party documents including emails which were leaked by six National Party insiders. The documents were written by

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1716-511: The ECHELON network, is near Blenheim. Woodbourne Airport is a domestic airport and an RNZAF operational base. There are direct flights from Auckland and Wellington with Air New Zealand and from Wellington , Christchurch , and Paraparaumu with Sounds Air . Omaka Aerodrome , to the south of the town centre, is used solely by private and vintage aircraft. The Classic Fighters airshow (based mainly on World War I and II aircraft)

1794-485: The New Zealand Herald that the owners of the cable had asked the NSA for monetary compensation for mass surveillance on the cable. The site is a regular target for protesters and activists who are attempting to have the base closed down. The Anti-Bases Campaign have had regular yearly protests at the base. In 1996 Nicky Hager entered the base at night with John Campbell and a TV3 film crew, and filmed

1872-590: The New Zealand Police for raiding his home in 2014 as part of their investigation into the hacking that led to the Dirty Politics book. The Police also acknowledged accessing his financial records as part of the apology settlement. On 21 September 2016, Nicky Hager was subpoenaed by Colin Craig 's lawyers to testify as part of the latter's defence in a defamation suit filed by Jordan Williams,

1950-703: The UKUSA Agreement facilitating intelligence gathering and sharing between the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Since the Edward Snowden revelations, this partnership has become more commonly known as the Five Eyes . As a result, the insights into the inner workings of the GCSB provide information about the allied agencies as well. In particular, Hager documented

2028-497: The West Coast of New Zealand . The material is based on a large amount of documentation leaked by a staff member from the local branch of Shandwick (now Weber Shandwick Worldwide ), a global public relations company, which had been hired by Timberlands to run a secret campaign against environmental groups such as Native Forest Action between 1997 and 1999. The book describes its tactics of surveillance of meetings, monitoring

2106-482: The kevlar covering over one of the two satellite dishes. Prime Minister Helen Clark condemned the attack on the spy base as a "senseless act of criminal vandalism". They waited there until they were arrested and charged with intentional damage and unlawful entry. They were tried in March 2010 where they readily admitted their actions in court but defended it as a "claim of right" to save human lives. Samuel Land (one of

2184-662: The " War on Terror ". Using leaked military information, Hager highlights the difference between what New Zealand was told about its role in Afghanistan and Iraq, and what the leaked documents show. The book demonstrates the role of public relations in blurring the lines between the idea of military as a public service and the agendas that the New Zealand Defence Force was orchestrating for foreign interests. Hager concludes that New Zealand needs greater accountability and neutrality in its armed forces. It

2262-457: The 12th century. Archaeological evidence dates Polynesian human remains uncovered at Wairau Bar to the 13th century. The rich sea and bird life of the area would easily have supported such small communities. As the Māori population of the area increased, they developed the land to sustain the growing population. In the early 1700s canals and waterways were dug among the natural river courses, allowing for

2340-416: The 2023 census, the urban area had a smaller boundary, covering 17.20 km (6.64 sq mi). Using that boundary, the Blenheim urban area had a population of 26,835 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 2,229 people (9.1%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 3,141 people (13.3%) since the 2006 census . There were 10,644 households, comprising 13,050 males and 13,776 females, giving

2418-438: The 3) was represented by prominent human rights barrister Antony Shaw . The jury agreed with the argument of the three activists and despite their earlier admissions were acquitted on all charges. One of the protesters said "we broke a law to protect plastic to uphold a law to protect human life." The New Zealand government sued the trio and won damages of $ 1.2 million toward the repair of the dome, however, it chose not to pursue

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2496-617: The Marlborough wine industry has come to be dominated by large firms, owned by major New Zealand companies or offshore investors. There are over 50 vineyards near Blenheim. Agricultural land prices in the Wairau Valley increased dramatically in the 1990s and 2000s. The sunny, pleasant climate has long attracted people to the region, as holiday-makers or as permanent settlers . The region is especially popular among retired people, as well as people seeking an alternative lifestyle. Rapid population growth and other factors though have led to

2574-495: The NZDF's trust and credibility. Left-wing blogger Martyn "Bomber" Bradbury supported Hager and Stephenson's assertions that New Zealand forces had committed war crimes. The conservative blogger Matthew Hooton, Amnesty International New Zealand's Executive Director Grant Bayldon, and Fairfax political editor Tracey Watkins supported calls for an independent inquiry into New Zealand war crimes. The-then Prime Minister Bill English rejected calls for an inquiry into NZSAS actions on

2652-647: The Pacific plate (on which Blenheim sits) and the Indo-Australian plate passes just north of Blenheim. It lies east of Renwick, and just south of Spring Creek. The climate is generally very settled, largely due to the rain shadow effect of the mountain ranges to the west which shelter Blenheim from the heaviest of rains that hit the western part of the South Island. Summers are typically warm, dry and sunny. Winter mornings are cool and frosty. Snowfall

2730-656: The US-coordinated ECHELON system, through which the five agencies intercept and process huge volumes of international e-mail, fax and telephone communications. Hager was one of the earliest to write about the secretive ECHELON worldwide electronic spy network. As a result of his book, in 2001 he testified before the European Parliament on his research into the network. The book contained two forewords, one written by former New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange and one by Jeffrey T. Richelson ,

2808-511: The allegations raised by Hit & Run . On 13 March 2018, the New Zealand Defence Force confirmed that the location of an Afghan village mentioned in the book Hit & Run was the same place where the NZSAS raid Operation Burnham took place but maintained that claims of civilian casualties were "unfounded." On 19 March, the NZDF confirmed that the photos published in Hit & Run were taken in

2886-757: The book's release, the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment , Barry Carbon, conceded that the book was largely accurate but disputed the interpretation of the material. The Christchurch newspaper The Press studied the official documents and concluded: "So who's telling the truth, Hager or the Government? Officials at a special briefing for journalists last week memorably commented that they did not disagree with most of Hager's facts, just his conclusions. That

2964-482: The census's question about religious affiliation, 50.8% had no religion, 37.6% were Christian , 0.6% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.8% were Hindu , 0.2% were Muslim , 0.7% were Buddhist and 1.9% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 3,177 (14.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 5,022 (22.7%) people had no formal qualifications. 2,673 people (12.1%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15

3042-511: The co-founder of the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union . Hager had initially volunteered to give evidence, however decided he did not want to after Mr Williams gave evidence in relation to Craig's treatment of his former press secretary, Rachel MacGregor. Craig gave evidence that he had read Hager's book Dirty Politics before producing his pamphlet Dirty Politics and Hidden Agendas , which was found to have defamed Williams. Hager took

3120-533: The construction of a second interception dish in 1998. It is described as a satellite communications monitoring facility in the Waihopai Valley , near Blenheim . The facility has been identified by MP Keith Locke as part of ECHELON , the worldwide network of signals interception facilities run by the UKUSA consortium of intelligence agencies, which shares global electronic and signals intelligence among

3198-591: The countryside, rivalling Canterbury's sheep stations in size and wealth. Situated on the Wairau Plain, the town is mostly flat with only its southernmost fringe rising to the base of the Wither Hills. As the plain is surrounded by mountains on all but the eastern flank, which is open to Cook Strait, it is relatively well protected from the frequent southerly weather fronts occurring during winters. The area does however experience some high wind events during

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3276-476: The course of the year, especially from the west where the wind is funnelled down the Wairau Valley directly at the town. Open and exposed areas in and around Blenheim are also hit quite hard by winds blowing inland from Cook Strait. Blenheim sits at the confluence of the Taylor and Ōpaoa rivers. It is in a tectonically active zone and experiences several (usually small) earthquakes each year. The boundary between

3354-489: The dominant industry in the region; employment is derived not only from the production of wine, but also from 'wine tourism' in the area. Olive growing has also gained some importance in recent years. Despite being located several kilometres inland, maritime industries are also important sources of employment for Blenheim. Lake Grassmere has New Zealand's only salt works , producing 50% of the country's total salt requirement. Fishing and mussel farming are also important in

3432-676: The exact location of the villages wrong but asserted that other information including the villages' names were correct. In late March 2017, the Tirgiran Valley villagers' lawyers McLeod, Rodney Harrison, and Deborah Manning requested that the New Zealand Government undertake a formal inquiry into the events at Naik and Khak Khuday Dad villages. Hager and Stephenson's book attracted considerable media coverage and commentary in New Zealand. University of Otago law professor Andrew Geddis opined that Operation Burnham damaged

3510-458: The fighters were found but 15 civilians were wounded and six killed. The authors asserted that the NZSAS actions could be considered war crimes and alleged a cover up by the New Zealand Defence Force . The New Zealand Defence Force Chief Lieutenant-General Tim Keating challenged the book's accuracy and denied that NZ forces had operated in the Naik and Khak Khuday Dad villages. He asserted that

3588-524: The first forms of farming in the area including that of fish and native water fowl. A total of approximately 18 km of channels are known to have been excavated before the arrival of European settlers. Māori in the Marlborough Region also cultivated crops, including kūmara ( sweet potato ). The area is also home to the first serious clash of arms between Māori and the British settlers after

3666-511: The grounds of inaccuracies in Hit & Run . In August 2017, the Afghan villagers' three lawyers took the New Zealand Government to court over its refusal to hold an inquiry into Operation Burnham. Following the formation of a new Labour-New Zealand First-Greens coalition government after the 2017 general election , Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Defence Minister Ron Mark announced in early November that they would hold an inquiry into

3744-532: The high power of the transmitters. Nicky Hager Nicolas Alfred Hager ONZM (born 1958) is a New Zealand investigative journalist . He has produced seven books since 1996, covering topics such as intelligence networks, environmental issues and politics. He is one of two New Zealand members of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists . Hager was born in Levin to

3822-490: The intelligence agencies of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The dishes are shielded by giant radomes . Few details of the facility are known. In June 2007, a torus antenna was installed, which is able to receive the signals of up to 35 satellites simultaneously. This antenna is not covered by a radome. In October 2021, the GCSB announced that the two dishes, and their radomes, would be deconstructed and removed from

3900-536: The leadership of the National Party. The following day he had the injunction lifted, allowing the book to be released. The Hollow Men was made into a theatrical piece by playwright Dean Parker . Hager assisted with the feature-length documentary of the book, made by Alister Barry, that was released in July 2008. In August 2011 Hager published Other People's Wars , an investigation into New Zealand's role in

3978-676: The logging of publicly owned native forests and provided a $ 120 million transition package for the West Coast economy. Seeds of Distrust: The Story of a GE Cover-up was a study of government processes and decision-making under New Zealand's Labour-led government. The book details an incident in November 2000, during the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification , when government officials were alerted to evidence of an accidental release of genetically modified corn plants, which

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4056-634: The meaning of honour . The book explored the New Zealand Special Air Service 's involvement in Operation Burnham , a retaliatory military raid on two Afghan villages, Naik and Khak Khuday Dad, in Afghanistan's Tirgiran Valley in August 2010. The NZSAS soldiers had attacked a village while pursuing Taliban fighters following the death of a New Zealand soldier in a roadside bomb. According to Hager and Stephenson, none of

4134-406: The operations room through a window. Hager returned in 1999 with Mikey Havoc and Jeremy Wells (as his "Newsboy" persona). They snuck into the base and danced in front of cameras for a television show in which Havoc and Newsboy were starring. In April 2008, three Ploughshares Aotearoa or Anzac Ploughshares activists breached three security fences to enter the base and then used a sickle to deflate

4212-425: The original Nelson settlement, the request of Marlborough settlers was granted, and Marlborough became a separate province . Although gold was discovered in the province in the early 1860s the resulting boom did not last, and while the gold rush helped to expand the region, it was the development of pastoralism which provided the greatest long-term benefits. Marlborough squatters developed huge sheep runs that dominated

4290-466: The party leader Don Brash and a wide range of people associated with him. The origin of the book was the exposing of Exclusive Brethren secret funding of National Party election advertising during the 2005 general election. It describes the National Party strategy discussions and the techniques the party advisors used to try to win the 2005 national elections. The thinking behind major speeches, media management, election advertising and election messages

4368-407: The payment. With the publicity surrounding the base and this case, the GCSB directors released an announcement stating that "The claims that the Waihopai station is 'a United States spybase in our midst', contributing to 'torture, war, and the use of weapons of mass destruction' and other 'unspeakable evil' cannot be left unchallenged … It was not – and is not – contributing to 'unspeakable evil'. Quite

4446-486: The press and responding to every letter to the editor, greenwashing , the use of strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPPs), cleaning anti-logging graffiti and blotting out campaign posters in public places, and managing to install its pro-logging educational materials into schools. The year after the book's publication, the new Labour government passed the Forests ( West Coast Accord ) Act 2000, which halted

4524-403: The raid had taken place at the nearby "Tirgiran Valley village" and that the raid was carried out to protect New Zealand's Provincial Reconstruction Team in neighbouring Bamiyan Province . In response, the Tirgiran Valley villagers' lawyers including Richard McLeod responded that "Tirgiran Valley village" did not exist and challenged Keating's assertions. Hager and Stephenson acknowledged getting

4602-533: The region. Viticulture also has a very large impact on the local economy both directly, by way of employment and servicing required, and also by way of 'wine tourism'. The local cellars attracted hundreds of thousands of domestic and international tourists every year. The area also hosts the annual Marlborough Wine & Food Festival . The Marlborough wine region is now New Zealand's largest, and receives worldwide recognition for its Sauvignon Blanc wines. With its growing international critical recognition, much of

4680-757: The remaining lines business renamed Marlborough Lines . Today, Marlborough Lines owns and operates the electricity distribution network servicing the town, with electricity fed from Transpower 's national grid at its Blenheim substation in Springlands. Blenheim's water supply is drawn from the Wairau aquifer via nine bores and is treated at two plants in Middle Renwick Road and Bomford Street. The first school opened in 1859. By 1875 there were three classes: Blenheim Upper Boys', Blenheim Lower Boys', and Blenheim Girls' and Infants'. Blenheim High School

4758-671: The reverse." Blenheim, New Zealand Blenheim ( / ˈ b l ɛ n ɪ m / BLEN -im ; Māori : Waiharakeke ) is the most populous town in the region of Marlborough , in the north east of the South Island of New Zealand . It has an estimated urban population of 30,600 (June 2024). The surrounding Marlborough wine region is well known as the centre of the New Zealand wine industry. It enjoys one of New Zealand's sunniest climates , with warm, relatively dry summers and cool, crisp winters. Blenheim

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4836-434: The same company and distributed throughout Marlborough. The Blenheim Sun is a twice-weekly free newspaper distributed each Wednesday and Friday while the locally owned Marlborough Weekly is published every Tuesday and delivered to every home in the region. Blenheim is served by 22 FM radio stations . The town can also receive AM and FM radio stations from Wellington, due to the straight line-of-sight across Cook Strait and

4914-609: The same location where Operation Burnham had taken place. On 9 April 2018, the Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier ruled in favour of the New Zealand Defense Force's decision to withhold most of the information relating to Operation Burnham. On 11 April, Attorney-General David Parker announced that the Government would be holding an inquiry into Operation Burnham and the allegations in Hit & Run . On 16 April 2018, Nicky Hager

4992-523: The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi . The Wairau Affray which occurred in what is now the village of Tuamarina . The settlement was originally known to Europeans as The Beaver or Beaverton due to its frequent flooding. Although the early history of Marlborough was closely associated with the Nelson settlement, the people of Marlborough desired independence from Nelson. In 1859, nineteen years after

5070-449: The stand as an expert witness and alleged that publications linked to Jordan Williams on Cameron Slater's blog attacked Craig and followed a similar pattern that had been documented in his book. After testifying for fifteen minutes, Hager was not cross-examined by Williams' lawyers and was allowed to leave by the judge. In March 2017, Hager and fellow journalist Jon Stephenson published Hit & Run: The New Zealand SAS in Afghanistan and

5148-528: The station as the technology they used was deemed to be obsolete. For example, in 2021 only 0.5% of the data that the GCSB collected was from the two dishes. In April 2022 the satellites and radomes were deconstructed. Other data collection and information gathering will continue at the station. In August 2014, it was revealed that an engineer from the United States National Security Agency had visited New Zealand and held

5226-622: The supply from Waihopai. The town was connected to Cobb Power Station in 1945, which in turn was connected to the rest of the South Island grid in 1956. The diesel generators were relegated to standby duty, last generated power on 22 July 1992, and were decommissioned in 2003. The Energy Companies Act 1992 saw the MEPB corporatised and renamed Marlborough Electric. The 1998 electricity sector reforms required electricity companies to separate their lines and supply businesses. Marlborough Electric sold its generation and retailing business to Trustpower , with

5304-568: The wider implications of the information gathered has gained the facility some local and international notoriety. The construction of a new station on 30 hectares of stony ground was authorised by the Prime Minister David Lange and Finance Minister Roger Douglas in 1987. Gerald Hensley comments that Lange: "was ready to work with the Australians [as] … international communications were shifting to satellites … Lange

5382-546: Was appointed as a member of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security 's Reference Group , an advisory group of journalists, lawyers, academics, and advocates that would scrutinise the legality of the actions of New Zealand's intelligence agencies, the NZSIS and GCSB. Hager's appointment was criticised by the National Party's GCSB and NZSIS spokesperson Gerry Brownlee , who pointed to his previous criticism of

5460-422: Was formed within the school in 1879. Catholic schools for boys and girls were established in 1872, replaced by St Mary's Boys' school in 1886. In 1929 St Mary's was rebuilt after a fire. Marlborough High School, a coeducational secondary school, was founded in Blenheim in 1900. In 1919 it changed its name to Marlborough College. The intermediate section was split to form Bohally Intermediate in 1956. The college

5538-436: Was illegal under New Zealand law . The book traces the stages of industry lobbying and government decision making leading up to a decision to regard the incident as insignificant and keep it secret from the public. The book was released in July 2002, just as a snap election was called, and helped make genetically modified organisms a major election issue. At a media conference of government officials convened immediately after

5616-579: Was named after Henry Seymour. Pollard Park is a large public park including children's play areas, native shrubbery, rose gardens, a landscaped waterway, and is home to the Blenheim Golf Club and its 9-hole course, the Marlborough Tennis club and its courts, and Blenheim Croquet Club. They are dry and arid ranges which have previously been the site of severe grass fires. The GCSB Waihopai communications monitoring facility, part of

5694-736: Was recognised internationally, with investigative journalist Seymour Hersh stating in a review, "Nicky Hager has more knowledge and understanding of the American intelligence world in Afghanistan – both its good and its very bad points – than any reporter I know." Other People’s Wars was also adapted into a play by Dean Parker in 2012. In late November 2022, the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) apologised to Hager and paid NZ$ 66,400 in compensation and legal fees after it illegally accessed his phone records in 2012. The spy agency believed that

5772-406: Was regularly briefed by me and despite his later claims knew exactly what was involved and why the station was needed. … The Australians were building a similar one at Geraldton [Western Australia] and their Defence Minister explained to the PM why the two installations separated by five time zones would enhance the benefit to both countries." It has been operating since 1989, and was expanded with

5850-554: Was scrapped in 2024. There are currently 11 schools in the Blenheim urban area: Other primary schools are in the surrounding localities of Renwick , Fairhall , Grovetown , Rapaura and Riverlands . The Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology has a campus in Blenheim. Blenheim is served by a variety of print publications. The major daily newspaper serving the area is The Marlborough Express published by Fairfax NZ, with its headquarters in Blenheim. The Saturday Express and Midweek are community newspapers published by

5928-459: Was split into separate boys' and girls' schools in 1963, with Marlborough Boys' College (MBC) retaining the existing site and Marlborough Girls' College (MGC) moving to a new site. An intention to relocate both Marlborough Boys' College and Marlborough Girls' College on the site currently occupied by MGC and Bohally Intermediate was announced in 2019, with Bohally Intermediate relocating to the current MBC site on Stephenson Street. The relocation plan

6006-584: Was taken from interviews with staff in New Zealand's Sigint agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), who revealed the workings of the agency in minute detail: the intelligence targets, equipment, operating procedures, security systems and training, as well as the staff and layout of the intelligence agency's facilities. The book makes special mention of GCSB's facilities at Waihopai and Tangimoana . It revealed aspects of New Zealand's participation in

6084-466: Was that 10,800 (48.7%) people were employed full-time, 3,258 (14.7%) were part-time, and 570 (2.6%) were unemployed. The town's economy is based on agricultural services, with pastoral and horticultural farming providing a major source of income. Historically, sheep farming, dairying, and wheat and barley were the major activities in the area. Marlborough's first commercial grape vines were planted in 1973, and since then viticulture has become

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