30 September 2020
Mr Kevin Smith
Ref: DOIA 1920-1739
[FYI request #13076 email]
Dear Mr Smith,
I refer to your request email of 11 June 2020 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment (the Ministry) requesting under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“Are there, or have there ever been, plans for sharing data for immigration purposes
with Migration 5 partners on an automated/systematic way using only biographic
data, such as names, DOBs etc? Please provide details with related documents and
correspondence.”
On 23 June 2020, the Ministry wrote to let you know that we are extending the timeframe to
respond to your request under section 15A(1)(b) of the Act.
On 20 August 2020, the Ministry advised that we have decided to grant your request and
that it will require some time to prepare the documents that is in scope of your request.
New Zealand is part of the Migration Five (previously known as the Five Country
Conference) and shares biometric and biographic data with Australia, Canada, the United
States of America, and the United Kingdom. More information about how INZ collects and
uses data can be found on:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/documents/about-
us/privacyimpactassessment.pdf
Biographic-based information sharing seeks to supplement existing biometric information
sharing arrangements by allowing Migration Five (M5) partners to query each other using
non-biometric data elements. In 2016, the M5 Data Sharing Working Group (DSWG)
explored potential arrangements and platforms to enhance biographic data sharing capability
between the five countries. The DSWG also completed ‘High Level Business Requirements’
that allowed for a number of bilateral automated biographic querying pilots in 2017-18. In
2019, the DSWG decided not to pursue automated biographic information sharing further
beyond the existing bilateral arrangements in place at the time.
Documents identified within scope of your request are outlined in Appendix A and copies of
these are attached to this letter. The table in Appendix A also lists the specific grounds under
which information has been withheld. Information deemed out of scope of your request has
also been excluded.
Please note that under section 16(1)(e) of the Act, the Ministry is providing you excerpts
from the Agenda and Minutes of the DSWG meetings.
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You have the right, under section 28 of the Act, to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request.
Yours sincerely,
Jacqui Ellis
General Manager – Intelligence, Data and Insights
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
DOIA 1920-1739
Appendix A
No
Document
Decision
1
Data Sharing Working Group Year in Excerpt provided under section 16(1)(e) of
Review 1 July 2016 – 30 June 2017
the Act. Where information is not in scope,
this has not been provided.
2
Automated Information Sharing
Released with some information withheld
using Biographic Queries 15 August
under:
2016
Section 6(c) of the Act, as the
release of the information would be
likely to prejudice the maintenance
of the law, including the prevention,
investigation, and detection of
offences, and the right to a fair trial;
Section 6(b)(i) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a
basis of confidence by the
Government of any other country or
any agency of such Government;
Section 6(a) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
security or defence of New Zealand
or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand.
Section 9(2)(j) of the Act, to enable
a Minister of the Crown or any
department or organisation holding
the information to carry on, without
prejudice or disadvantage,
negotiations (including commercial
and industrial negotiations).
Where information is not in scope, this has
not been provided.
3
Data Sharing Working Group Vision
Excerpt provided under section 16(1)(e) of
and Strategy October 2017
the Act. Where information is not in scope,
this has not been provided. Some
information withheld under:
Section 6(c) of the Act, as the
release of the information would be
likely to prejudice the maintenance
of the law, including the prevention,
investigation, and detection of
offences, and the right to a fair trial;
Section 6(b)(i) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a
basis of confidence by the
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Government of any other country or
any agency of such Government;
Section 6(a) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
security or defence of New Zealand
or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand.
4
DSWG Biographic Querying Pilot
Released with some information withheld
update October 2017
under:
Section 6(c) of the Act, as the
release of the information would be
likely to prejudice the maintenance
of the law, including the prevention,
investigation, and detection of
offences, and the right to a fair trial;
Section 6(b)(i) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a
basis of confidence by the
Government of any other country or
any agency of such Government;
Section 6(a) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
security or defence of New Zealand
or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand.
5
Automated Biographic Information
Released with some information withheld
Sharing October 2015
under:
Section 6(c) of the Act, as the
release of the information would be
likely to prejudice the maintenance
of the law, including the prevention,
investigation, and detection of
offences, and the right to a fair trial;
Section 6(b)(i) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a
basis of confidence by the
Government of any other country or
any agency of such Government;
Section 6(a) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
security or defence of New Zealand
or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand.
6
High Level Business Requirements
Withheld in full under:
Automated Information Sharing
using Biographic Queries (SRTP) 16
Section 6(a) of the Act, as the
DOIA 1920-1739
August 2018
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
security or defence of New Zealand
or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand;
Section 6(b)(i) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a
basis of confidence by the
Government of any other country or
any agency of such Government;
Section 9(2)(k) of the Act, to
prevent the disclosure or use of
official information for improper gain
or improper advantage.
7
Excerpts from Minutes and Agenda
Excerpt provided under section 16(1)(e) of
of DSWG meetings
the Act. Some information withheld under:
Section 9(2)(a) of the Act, to protect
the privacy of natural persons;
Section 6(c) of the Act, as the
release of the information would be
likely to prejudice the maintenance
of the law, including the prevention,
investigation, and detection of
offences, and the right to a fair trial;
Section 6(b)(i) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a
basis of confidence by the
Government of any other country or
any agency of such Government;
Section 6(a) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
security or defence of New Zealand
or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand.
8
Data Sharing Working Group
Withheld in full under:
Pushing Out Borders through Data
Section 6(c) of the Act, as the
Sharing October 2017
release of the information would be
likely to prejudice the maintenance
of the law, including the prevention,
investigation, and detection of
offences, and the right to a fair trial;
Section 6(b)(i) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a
basis of confidence by the
Government of any other country or
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any agency of such Government;
Section 6(a) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
security or defence of New Zealand
or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand.
Where information is not in scope, this has
not been provided.
9
Project Initiation Document Australia
Withheld in full under:
and New Zealand Biographic
Section 6(a) of the Act, as the
Querying
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
security or defence of New Zealand
or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand;
Section 6(b)(i) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a
basis of confidence by the
Government of any other country or
any agency of such Government;
Section 9(2)(k) of the Act, to
prevent the disclosure or use of
official information for improper gain
or improper advantage.
10
Data Sharing Working Group Year in Excerpt provided under section 16(1)(e) of
Review 1 July 2017 – 30 June 2018
the Act. Where information is not in scope,
this has not been provided. Some
information withheld under:
Section 6(c) of the Act, as the
release of the information would be
likely to prejudice the maintenance
of the law, including the prevention,
investigation, and detection of
offences, and the right to a fair trial;
Section 6(b)(i) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a
basis of confidence by the
Government of any other country or
any agency of such Government.
11
Data Sharing Working Group
Released with some information withheld
Biographic Querying Supporting
under:
Paper
Section 6(a) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
security or defence of New Zealand
or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand;
DOIA 1920-1739
Section 6(b)(i) of the Act, as the
making available of that information
would be likely to prejudice the
entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a
basis of confidence by the
Government of any other country or
any agency of such Government;
Section 6(c) of the Act, as the
release of the information would be
likely to prejudice the maintenance
of the law, including the prevention,
investigation, and detection of
offences, and the right to a fair trial.
DOIA 1920-1739
