I may have a vivid imagination, but I had this vision over the weekend.

Here is a prisoner in jail in New Zealand serving a 20-year sentence, sitting back in his cell watching television and laughing himself silly as he watches politically correct people marching down the streets of our cities complaining about the proposed curtailing and invading our privacy in our use of internet, Facebook and other forms of telecommunication.

He's saying 'thanks for privacy because over the last 20 years using prison supplied computers and cellphone I have done the following:

1. Earned enough money to fly out of New Zealand to places eventually unknown in the world – ouch, tickets are pricey!

2. Even though passports have a five year span, over the last 20 years I have been able to get, or renew (and that was difficult but not impossible) a new passport in my supposed Birth name.

3. Say thank you to the prison guards as I leave them to do their duties”.

The above says that in some circumstances ie prisons and seriously convicted persons, the CSB (spy services) should be available for use.

If a prisoner could do the above, imagine what an up-to-date terrorist could do!

Rex O'Connor, Tauranga.