19 December 2022
Sebastian
By email
: [FYI request #15138 email]
Ref: OIA-2020/21-0511
Dear Sebastian
Official Information Act request: release of Draft National Risk Report 2018 and
additional information from the 2018 Counter-Terrorism Playbook
I refer to your request made under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), received by the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) on 12 April 2021. You requested:
“…copies of these five documents underlying the Royal Commission report:
1. The 2013 National Assessments Bureau assessment titled "Far Right Rising: A
Dangerous Myth"
2. The August 2018 draft National Risk Register; failing that, I request a copy of this
document’s Terrorism Risk Profile
3. The September 2018 National Assessments Bureau Global Terrorism Update; failing
that, I request a copy of this report’s “extreme right terrorism” annex
4. The 2018 Counter-Terrorism Strategic Framework
5. The latest Security and Intelligence Board annual strategic assessment prior to
15 March 2019
And I request copies of these six documents underlying the Counter-Terrorism
Strategy:
1. The Counter-Terrorism System Capability Review
2. The Counter-Terrorism Work Programme
3. The Counter-Terrorism Implementation Plan
4. The High-Level Framework for the Prevention of Violent Extremism
5. The Public Information Action Plan
6. The Counter-Terrorism Playbook. If the “Counter-Terrorism Handbook” is a separate
document, I request a copy of this as well…”
Following the Ombudsman’s provisional opinion in relation to the investigation of your
complaint relating to some information withheld in our response to your request, we have
reassessed three of the documents you requested. On 31 August 2022, a revised copy of the
2021 Counter-Terrorism work programme was released to you including the final column
titled ‘Next Key Milestone’.
Consultations with other agencies and Ministers in relation to the two remaining documents
have now been completed.
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4609804
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz
Draft National Risk Report 2018
Please find attached as Document 1
Draft National Risk Report 2018.
The
Draft National Risk Report 2018 is an historical draft document developed in 2018. Its
purpose was to provide information on many of the risks on the National Risk Register, and
outline some of the ways government was working to mitigate these at the time in 2018. You
can find out more about the National Risk Register on the DPMC website at:
dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/national-security/national-risk-approach-0. DPMC coordinated the production of this report, with input from several government
agencies and stakeholders in 2018. The draft report was provided to Ministers for
consideration, but ultimately the report did not progress beyond draft stage. The document
was not formally lodged to Cabinet for approval to release.
Because this document was never finalised or agreed, it should not be assumed that the
content provided an accurate representation of the risks included or how they were managed
and governed.
In addition, the report is now out-of-date and does not represent the government’s
assessment of the current risk landscape in 2022, given more recent significant domestic
and global events.
Provided with the
Draft National Risk Report 2018 is a cover letter giving some additional
context to its status.
There is a diagram on page 106 of the release document (page 99 of the Draft report) that is
subject to copyright held by a third party. DPMC does not hold a license for that material to
be published. We have redacted this diagram on the basis that the publication of information
online through FYI.org.nz would be a breach of copyright.
2018 Counter-Terrorism Playbook
Please find attached as Document 2 a revised copy of the
Counter-Terrorism Playbook 2018 releasing some additional information.
It is important to note that the
Counter-Terrorism Playbook 2018 is several years old and
does not reflect the current practice or processes for counter-terrorism in New Zealand. The
Counter-Terrorism Playbook was superseded by the
Counter-Terrorism Handbook in late
2019. Scenarios and examples reflected the current events of the day and would not be the
examples that would be chosen if prepared today.
Some information is still withheld from the document under section 6(a) of the Act to protect
the security or defence of New Zealand or the international relations of New Zealand. Now
released to you are the scenario descriptions and much in the information from the eleven
Annexes.
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I remind you that you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my
decision under section 28(3) of the Act.
This revised response will be published on DPMC’s website, your personal information
including name and contact details will be removed for publication.
Yours sincerely
Tony Lynch
Deputy Chief Executive
National Security Group Enc: Draft National Risk Report 2018 and Revised copy of 2018 Counter-Terrorism Playbook
Cc:
Office of the Ombudsman
Ombudsman reference: 554119
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