Prime Minister Rt Hon Jacinda Adern has today tabled in Parliament the Annual Report of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, Cheryl Gwyn.
"My primary focus this year was on completing inquiries and reviews initiated in the previous period, and consolidating a regular programme of review of agency operational activities," Ms Gwyn says.
"Overall, I certify that the GCSB and NZSIS have sound compliance procedures and systems in place.
To the extent that particular NZSIS measures or practices are under further development or review, I consider that those do not call into question the overall efficacy of Service procedures or systems."
The Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security also devoted a lot of attention to the New Zealand Intelligence and Security Bill, with both written and oral submissions made to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee.
"My office contributed a great deal to new mechanisms in the legislation.
This included Direct Access Agreements which permit an intelligence and security agency to obtain information from certain public sector databases.
It also included Ministerial Policy Statements which govern how the agencies should undertake various generally lawful activities.
Our work was substantially disrupted by the November 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. Because of the requirement to work in a secure compartmented information facility, or SCIF, we were not fully operational for three or four months.
Since then, we have made good progress on completing outstanding work."
The Inspector-General is independent from the intelligence and security agencies and is not subject to direction by Ministers.
Media contact: Antony Byers 027 5438 735 and Antony.Byers@justice.govt.nz