Tariana Turia

Wellington, March 9 NZPA - Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia and Green Party co-leader Russel Norman are to be members of Parliament's top secret Intelligence and Security Committee.

The five-member committee oversees the Security Intelligence Service (SIS), is briefed by it and has access to the highest level of security intelligence.

Its meeting are not announced and it hardly ever says anything about its discussions.

A new committee is set up after each election. The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition are automatic members.

The Government nominates two members and Prime Minister John Key said today they were Mrs Turia and ACT leader Rodney Hide.

The Opposition has nominated Mr Norman.

The Greens, and the Maori Party, have previously criticised the existence of the committee.

Green Party MP Keith Locke has called for it to be abolished and Maori Party MP Hone Harawira has questioned why New Zealand needs one.

Before the election the government-nominated members were Michael Cullen and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, and the Opposition's was Mr Hide.

Parliament will vote to ratify the membership of the new committee on Wednesday.

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