By Patrick Gower
3 News has been contacted by a computer hacker who claims he has gained access to the personal email account of foreign affairs minister Murray Mccully.
The hacker says he's from a Russian group called the Comrades, and that the emails were taken as part of an international hunt for military secrets.
Emails from Mr McCully were made public after his account was hacked last year, which was initially blamed on the Anonymous internet group.
However, Comrades has now taken responsibility, telling 3 News that Government security “is very easy to bypass”.
Mr McCully is about to oversee up to $40 million in cuts at the ministry, where 300 people could lose their jobs.
One email sent to him from an unnamed insider complains of “mindless wasteful admin crap from Wellington” and tells the minister to “take a look at the MFAT phone book as it shows who is doing what”.
The email also criticises a pacific secretariat that gets $5 million in taxpayer funding but
“one meeting had 176 attendees for 6 days and cost $250,000 for almost no result”, and says “some outfit” supported by New Zealand aid flew a person to Noumea to give a 12 minute presentation.
The security breach may be worrying, but last week John Key said the acking wasn’t an issue, and today both he and Mr McCully declined to appear on camera.
However, the email from the Comrades hacker was clear, saying “This will not be the last time you hear from us”.
Watch the video for the full report
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