Tēnā koe,

Thank you for your Official Information Act request.

We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and, in any event, no later than 20 working days after the day that your request was received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact [GCSB request email].

Ngā mihi,
GCSB

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Kia ora Peter

Can you please clarify your fifth question regarding policies / practices / protocols applied at the NZSIS and NAB. Are you referring to mobile devices only, or third party apps as well?

Ngā mihi
GCSB

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Kia ora Peter

We refer to your official information request of 25 March 2025 asking for information the GCSB holds about Signal communications and mobile devices.

It will not be possible to meet the 20-working day time limit required by the Official Information Act and we are, therefore, writing to notify you of an extension of the time to make our decision, to 9 May 2025. This extension is made under section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA, and is necessary because the consultations needed to make a decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.

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 http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/ or freephone 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi
GCSB

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Kia ora Peter

 

We refer to your official information request dated 25 March 2025 for
information regarding Signal communications and mobile devices, as
outlined below (numbers added for clarity).

1.                   Are there policies in place to regulate the
downloading of third party apps such as Signal?

2.                   What security measures are in place to encrypt
information that is sent from one GCSB mobile device to another?

3.                   What happens if a GCSB mobile device is lost?

4.                   How often are GCSB mobile devices replaced?

5.                   Are these the same policies/practices/protocol
applied at NZSIS and NAB?

6.                   I expect that communication regularly takes place
between the Director-General  of the GCSB and the Director-General of
NZSIS. How many phones calls were made/received so far in 2025?

7.                   How many text messages were sent/received? Is it
possible to have the text messages, or to be advised what the subject
matter was about?

8.                   I am interested in text messages / iMessages /
WhatsApp messages / Signal messages between the two parties, as well as
with Nicky Haslem, so far in 2025.

9.                   I am interested in the text messages/ iMessages /
WhatApp messages / Signal messages between the GCSB Director-General and
Minister Collins, so far in 2025.

 

We have partially transferred question 5 of your request [in relation to
questions 1-4] to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC), as
it relates to NAB. This is because NAB is a business unit within DPMC, and
the information requested is not held by the GCSB, but is believed to be
held by DPMC.  In these circumstances, we are required by section 14 of
the Official Information Act 1982 to transfer your request.

 

You will hear further from DPMC concerning that part of your request.

 

Kind regards

GCSB

 

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Kia ora Peter,

 

Thank you for your OIA request of 25 March 2025 seeking information about
the GCSB's app and phone communication.

 

The complete response to your request is currently going through final
review, and will be sent to you within the next week. We can, however, now
provide you with a decision on your request.

 

We will be releasing some information in response to your request. Other
information will be withheld under the following grounds:

·         Section 6(a) of the OIA, as release of this information would be
likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand;

·         Section 9(2)(a) of the OIA, to protect the privacy of natural
persons; and

·         Section 9(2)(g)(i) of the OIA, to maintain effective conduct of
public affairs through the free and frank expression  of opinions by or
between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an organisation or
officers and employees of any public service agency or organisation in the
course of their duty.

 

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
[1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/ or freephone 0800 802 602.

 

Ngā mihi

GCSB

 

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Kia ora Peter,

 

Further to the below, please find our response to this request attached.
Sincere apologies for the delay.

 

If there are any queries we can assist with about this response, please
feel free to email [1][GCSB request email].

 

Ngā mihi

GCSB

 

From: Information (GCSB) <[GCSB request email]>
Sent: Thursday, 8 May 2025 4:30 PM
To: [FOI #30523 email]
Subject: FW: Official Information request - Signal Communications

 

Kia ora Peter,

 

Thank you for your OIA request of 25 March 2025 seeking information about
the GCSB's app and phone communication.

 

The complete response to your request is currently going through final
review, and will be sent to you within the next week. We can, however, now
provide you with a decision on your request.

 

We will be releasing some information in response to your request. Other
information will be withheld under the following grounds:

·         Section 6(a) of the OIA, as release of this information would be
likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand;

·         Section 9(2)(a) of the OIA, to protect the privacy of natural
persons; and

·         Section 9(2)(g)(i) of the OIA, to maintain effective conduct of
public affairs through the free and frank expression  of opinions by or
between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an organisation or
officers and employees of any public service agency or organisation in the
course of their duty.

 

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
[2]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/ or freephone 0800 802 602.

 

Ngā mihi

GCSB

 

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[UNCLASSIFIED]

Kia ora,

 

Please see the attached letter regarding your recent OIA request.

 

Ngā mihi,

+---------------------------------------------+
|Ministerial Coordinator  |
|---------------------------------------------|
|Ministerial Services  |
|---------------------------------------------|
|Strategy, Governance and Engagement  |
|---------------------------------------------|
|Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |
|---------------------------------------------|
|   |
|---------------------------------------------|
|E    [1][email address]  |
| |
|  |
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|The information contained in this email|
|message is for the attention of the intended|
|recipient only and is not necessarily the|
|official view or communication of the|
|Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.|
|If you are not the intended recipient you|
|must not disclose, copy or distribute this|
|message or the information in it. If you have|
|received this message in error, please|
|destroy the email and notify the sender|
|immediately.  |
+---------------------------------------------+

 

Link: [2]File-List
Link: [3]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [4]themeData
Link: [5]colorSchemeMapping

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The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
3. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
4. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
5. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml
6. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
7. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
8. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
9. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml