So hackers got into McCully's Xtra email account because of his strong password - NOT. Probably the name of his dog or something.

While apparently nothing major security wise was discovered apart from some emails which might prove embarrassing for him the next time he meets some senior Chinese officials, it raises bigger questions.

First of all, it's a known policy in government departments that one should not forward emails to private accounts That is a major breach of security.  Emails between Govt departments are always encrypted through the SEEMAIL (which is at least 128 or 256 bit encryption) service and forwarding them removes all that security, not to mention the vulneralbilty of ISP based email.

When asked by the PM about this breach Key's comment was just as lacking. He noted that his Minister travels often and needs to keep up with email while out of the country.  This is hardly an excuse for forwarding mail to an Xtra account.

I would imagine that most Govt deparments have the ability for staff to access email remotely, either via a mobile device like a Blackberry, iPhone or Android phone that would work anywhere Internet access is available. If not then something like Outlook Web Access or some sort of SSL based VPN.  If DPMC cannot provide a secure remote email facility for ministers, then one wonders about the IT capability of that department.

As an aside I seem to recall in the last Govt Maurice Williamson was so attached to his iPad that he insisted there was a way for him to get his Parliament email on the device. I presume he did it without having to forward mail to Xtra!

I read somewhere Obama was so attached to his BB that, while it's a convention that the President doesn't do email on a mobile device (apparently Bush gave up his BB for his time in office), he insisted he keep it and the appropriate folks developed an entire secure infrastructure for him to do it.

While I am not suggesting that we would need such high tech security for our MP's, we should at least provide some of remote access facility that most other Govt departments routinely make available to their staff and perhaps if heightened security is important, have the infrastructure audited by GCSB.

BB are approved by GCSB and while not the flavour of the month anymore, it must be better than the alternatives.