Over the past few years intelligence agencies have received more attention than ever before.
Within New Zealand, much of this attention has been focused on the extent to which there is a need for an intelligence capability. In order to govern a small nation in a very complex world, the New Zealand Government needs access to the widest range of information possible to make the best informed decisions possible. This range of information must include secret intelligence from various sources.
As well as being able to make well informed decisions, another key responsibility of the Government is to protect the national interests of the country and its citizens, and, as far as possible, ensure the safety and effectiveness of the New Zealand Defence Force’s military and peacekeeping operations. Secret intelligence is a key factor in enabling the Government to do this. GCSB, contributes by collecting, processing, analysing and distributing such intelligence.
New Zealand does not undertake any ‘mass surveillance’ of New Zealanders, such as the active monitoring of emails, phone calls and internet use of the populations. We do not have the legal authority, capability, or interest to undertake such activity. Both the 2015 Independent Review of Intelligence and Security in New Zealand, and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have looked at the matter and confirmed this to be the case.
