History

The Government Communications Security Bureau was formally established in 1977 by the then Prime Minister Rt Hon SIr Robert Muldoon. The GCSB was formed to take responsibility for Communications Security (COMSEC), Technical Security (TECSEC) and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) roles of the New Zealand Government. Computer Security (COMPUSEC) was added later. This was not, however, the start of COMSEC or SIGINT in the New Zealand context.

The protection of official information has been a role of the New Zealand government since the early 20th century. After the Second World War, COMSEC was managed by the New Zealand Communications Security Committee (NZCSC), which drew its membership from the Prime Minister's Department, and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence.

The origins of involvement in Signals Intelligence in New Zealand also predate the Second World War, however the basis of the modern day cryptologic agency can be found in the creation of the New Zealand Combined Signals Organisation (NZCSO) in 1955. This agency was formed as part of the New Zealand Defence Forces, under the control of the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff in Wellington.

The TECSEC function of the Government, which essentially involves the provision of protection from eavesdropping or “bugging”, was undertaken by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Defence, prior to the formation of the GCSB. Those capabilities were however limited, and the role was passed to GCSB upon its formation.

During the mid 1970's, two separate reviews were conducted into the SIGINT and COMSEC activities of the New Zealand Government. One of the aims of the COMSEC study was to investigate the possibility of establishing vital operating standards and a capability to produce national cryptographic key material.

Following those reviews the Prime Minister approved the formation of the GCSB, with responsibility for SIGINT, COMSEC and TECSEC, in April 1977. The GCSB was formally established on 1 September 1977. Initially the GCSB was located within the Ministry of Defence. This allowed a level of “cover” considered necessary, due to the sensitivity of SIGINT at that time.

In 1980 it was decided that the existence of the GCSB could be disclosed on a limited basis, and this led to the first briefings of the Cabinet and Opposition Leader. Interestingly those briefings only acknowledged the COMSEC and TECSEC functions of the Bureau and not the SIGINT activities. It was not until 1984 that the existence of the GCSB and its SIGINT function was publicly acknowledged, in a Parliamentary statement by the then Prime Minister Rt Hon Sir Robert Muldoon.

In 1982 the radio-interception capability of the GCSB was moved from HMNZS Irirangi, near Waiouru, and the HF radio interception and direction-finding station at Tangimoana was commissioned.

Following on the changes resulting from the Intelligence Review of 1987, the State Sector Act 1988, the Public Finance Act 1989, and the Quigley Defence Resource Management Review 1988, the Bureau was separated entirely from Defence in 1989 and was established as a separate agency, with the Director as its chief executive officer, reporting directly to the Prime Minister. This coincided with the opening of the satellite communications interception station at Waihopai, near Blenheim.

In early 2000 the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Helen Clark, agreed that the GCSB should be placed on a statutory footing similar to that of the NZSIS. Following the normal legislative process (including public consultation on the draft GCSB Bill), the GCSB Act was enacted with effect from 2 April 2003.