DMS42-6-10115
New Zealand
Security Intelligence Service
PO Box 900, Wellington
P +64 4 472 6170
F +64 4 472 8209
www.nzsis.govt.nz
27 January 2023
Scott
[FYI request #21057 email]
Tēnā koe Scott
Official information request
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 7 November 2022 to the
New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) seeking information relating to the
respective direct access agreements with Immigration New Zealand and the Department of
Internal Affairs. You requested:
“I would like to make a request for information relating to the NZSIS-Immigration NZ and
NZSIS-Department of Internal Affairs direct access agreements that were updated and
issued last month.
I would like to request:
ONE: A copy of the briefing to the minister responsible for the NZSIS seeking their approval
for the recent update to the INZ agreement, including all annexes to the briefing.
TWO: A copy of the briefing to the minister responsible for the NZSIS seeking their
approval for the recent update to the DIA agreement, including all annexes to the briefing.
THREE: If it isn’t included in the annexes, I would also like to request copies of the
comments provided by the Privacy Commissioner and IGIS on the update to these two
agreements, and NZSIS’ responses to these comments.”
You were advised on 5 December 2022 that the time limit for responding to your request
had been extended to 23 January 2023 because the consultations necessary to make a
decision on your request were such that a proper response could not reasonably be made
within the original time limit. You were subsequently notified by email of a small delay on
20 January 2023. This email advised you of the NZSIS’s decision to release the material
requested, with some information withheld under sections 6(a), 9(2)(a) and 18(d) of the OIA.
Following this, I am now in a position to respond. I appreciate your patience and apologise
for the delay in finalising the documents you requested for release.
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Response Please find a copy of the material you requested enclosed. As noted, a small amount of
information has been withheld under the following sections of the OIA:
Section 6(a), where the making available of the information would be likely to
prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand; and
Section 9(2)(a), as the withholding of the information is necessary to protect the
privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural persons.
Where section 9 grounds have been applied I do not consider that the need to withhold this
information is outweighed by other considerations which render it desirable, in the public
interest, to make that information available.
In addition, you will note that the briefing notes refer to draft versions of the Direct Access
Agreements and Privacy Impact Assessment Reports being enclosed. Both restricted and
unclassified versions of these documents were provided to the Ministers with these
briefings. The restricted versions need to be withheld under section 6(a) of the OIA, as
outlined for the reasons above. However, unclassified versions of these documents have
been published on the NZSIS’s website at https://www.nzsis.govt.nz/about-us/working-with-
others/. Accordingly, insofar as your request relates for the unclassified versions of this
information, I am refusing these parts of your request under section 18(d) of the OIA, as the
information is publicly available.
Review If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact
[NZSIS request email].
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
or freephone 0800 802 602.
Please note that the NZSIS proactively publishes OIA responses in accordance with the
expectations of Te Kawa Mataaho/the Public Service Commission. We intend to publish this
letter (with your personal information removed) and enclosed documents on the NZSIS’s
website. Publication of such responses is done on a quarterly basis.
Ngā mihi
Rebecca Kitteridge
Te Tumu Whakarae mō Te Pā Whakamarumaru
Director-General of Security
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