Kia ora Aaron,
 
On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 25/03/2026 requesting, under the Official
Information Act 1982, the following:
 

* Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request information
regarding New Zealand’s involvement in the SouthPAN programme and
associated contracts with Lockheed Martin.
Specifically, I request:
Confirmation of whether the United States Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) has any involvement (direct or indirect) in
the SouthPAN programme.
Details of any partnerships, subcontractors, or third-party agencies
involved in the programme beyond those publicly disclosed.
Copies of, or access to, official documentation outlining the scope
and purpose of the contract with Lockheed Martin.
Any assessments, briefings, or reports regarding potential dual-use
capabilities of the system (civilian and military applications).
Any privacy, security, or surveillance impact assessments conducted in
relation to SouthPAN.
Clarification on whether SouthPAN is intended to integrate with,
support, or operate alongside existing or planned telecommunications
infrastructure, including 5G networks or broader “smart city” systems.
Details of any ground-based infrastructure located within New Zealand
that supports SouthPAN, including but not limited to reference
stations, uplink facilities, or monitoring sites, and their general
locations and functions.
If any part of this request is refused, I request that the grounds for
refusal be clearly stated as per the Act.If I have sent this to the
wrong authority please redirect it to the appropriate one

 

This email is to advise you that your request has been transferred to Land
Information New Zealand (LINZ) on 27 March 2026 and is being processed in
accordance with the Official Information Act 1982. 

 

This is because the information you have requested is not held by the
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Section 14(b)(i) of the
Official Information Act allows me to transfer any request where the
information is not held, but is believed to be held by another department,
organization or Minister of the Crown. 

 

You will hear further from Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) concerning
your request. 

Nāku noa, nā

Ministerial Services

 
Strategy and Assurance
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011 |  P O Box 1473 Wellington 6140

UNCLASSIFIED

Tēnā koe

 

Thank you for your request under the Official information Act 1982, that
was received by LINZ on 27 March 2026.

 

You can expect a response to your request as soon as practicable and no
later than 29 April 2026. This date is 20 working days* following the date
your request was received by LINZ.

 

For Information

·                Our response to your request (with your personal details
withheld) alongside any attached documentation may be proactively released
on the [1]Toitū Te Whenua website which aligns with our proactive release
policy dated 24 June 2024.

·                Confirmation on whether we intend to proactively release
our response to you will be advised in our final communication with you.

 

 

Ngā mihi nui

 

Thomas Baird

 

Senior Business Partner

Ministerial and Government Services

 

[2][email address] | DDI 04-460 2741

 

  Wellington Office, Level 7, Radio New Zealand House, 155 The
Terrace
[3][IMG] PO Box 5501, Wellington 6145, New Zealand

[4]www.linz.govt.nz | [5]data.linz.govt.nz

 

[6][IMG]          [7][IMG]          [8][IMG]          [9][IMG]

 

 

* When counting working days, day 1 is the first working day after the day
on which the request is received by the agency. ‘Working day’ means any
day of the week other than: Saturday and Sunday; national public holidays
(Waitangi Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, King’s Birthday,
Matariki, Labour Day); and the period from 25 December to 15 January
inclusive.

 

 

UNCLASSIFIED

From: Ministerial Services <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 27 March 2026 12:01 pm
To: Ministerial Support <[email address]>
Subject: [Confirmation of transfer] Official Information Request_SouthPAN
programme CRM:0204684

 

Kia ora, 

 

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has received the
attached Official Information Act request from Aaron. The request is for
information regarding:

 

"Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request information regarding
New Zealand’s involvement in the SouthPAN programme and associated
contracts with Lockheed Martin.
Specifically, I request:
Confirmation of whether the United States Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) has any involvement (direct or indirect) in the
SouthPAN programme.
Details of any partnerships, subcontractors, or third-party agencies
involved in the programme beyond those publicly disclosed.
Copies of, or access to, official documentation outlining the scope and
purpose of the contract with Lockheed Martin.
Any assessments, briefings, or reports regarding potential dual-use
capabilities of the system (civilian and military applications).
Any privacy, security, or surveillance impact assessments conducted in
relation to SouthPAN.
Clarification on whether SouthPAN is intended to integrate with, support,
or operate alongside existing or planned telecommunications
infrastructure, including 5G networks or broader “smart city” systems.
Details of any ground-based infrastructure located within New Zealand that
supports SouthPAN, including but not limited to reference stations, uplink
facilities, or monitoring sites, and their general locations and
functions.
If any part of this request is refused, I request that the grounds for
refusal be clearly stated as per the Act.If I have sent this to the wrong
authority please redirect it to the appropriate one
Kind regards,
Yours faithfully, Aaron

 

 

I attach the following:

 

o A request for official information from Aaron dated 25 March 2026.
o Our email to Aaron dated 27 March 2026, notifying that the request is
being transferred to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).

 

 

This letter serves as a formal transfer for the above request under
Section 14 of the Official Information Act. You have 20 working days from
receipt of this transfer to make and communicate a decision on this
request.

 

Ngā mihi

Maria

 

Maria Castello

Advisor – Ministerial Services Business Advisory 

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment/Hīkina Whakatutuki

Īmera/Email: [10][email address] 

15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011

show quoted sections

UNCLASSIFIED

Tēnā koe

 

Please find the response to your request attached.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Natalie (she/her)
Hoa Kotui Pakihi Matua

Senior Business Partner, Ministerial and Government Services

Public Affairs and Customer Engagement

 

 

  Wellington Office, Level 7, Radio New Zealand
House, 155 The Terrace
[1]Toitu Te Whenua colour PO Box 5501, Wellington 6145, New Zealand
logo
[2]www.linz.govt.nz | [3]data.linz.govt.nz

 

 

 

UNCLASSIFIED

From: Ministerial Support
Sent: Monday, 30 March 2026 9:26 am
To: Aaron <[FYI request #34232 email]>
Subject: RE: [Confirmation of transfer] Official Information
Request_SouthPAN programme CRM:0204684

 

Tēnā koe

 

Thank you for your request under the Official information Act 1982, that
was received by LINZ on 27 March 2026.

 

You can expect a response to your request as soon as practicable and no
later than 29 April 2026. This date is 20 working days* following the date
your request was received by LINZ.

 

For Information

·                Our response to your request (with your personal details
withheld) alongside any attached documentation may be proactively released
on the [4]Toitū Te Whenua website which aligns with our proactive release
policy dated 24 June 2024.

·                Confirmation on whether we intend to proactively release
our response to you will be advised in our final communication with you.

 

 

Ngā mihi nui

 

Thomas Baird

 

Senior Business Partner

Ministerial and Government Services

 

[5][email address] | DDI 04-460 2741

 

  Wellington Office, Level 7, Radio New Zealand House, 155 The
Terrace
[6][IMG] PO Box 5501, Wellington 6145, New Zealand

[7]www.linz.govt.nz | [8]data.linz.govt.nz

 

[9][IMG]          [10][IMG]          [11][IMG]          [12][IMG]

 

 

* When counting working days, day 1 is the first working day after the day
on which the request is received by the agency. ‘Working day’ means any
day of the week other than: Saturday and Sunday; national public holidays
(Waitangi Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, King’s Birthday,
Matariki, Labour Day); and the period from 25 December to 15 January
inclusive.

 

 

From: Ministerial Services <[13][email address]>
Sent: Friday, 27 March 2026 12:01 pm
To: Ministerial Support <[14][email address]>
Subject: [Confirmation of transfer] Official Information Request_SouthPAN
programme CRM:0204684

 

Kia ora, 

 

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has received the
attached Official Information Act request from Aaron. The request is for
information regarding:

 

"Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request information regarding
New Zealand’s involvement in the SouthPAN programme and associated
contracts with Lockheed Martin.
Specifically, I request:
Confirmation of whether the United States Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) has any involvement (direct or indirect) in the
SouthPAN programme.
Details of any partnerships, subcontractors, or third-party agencies
involved in the programme beyond those publicly disclosed.
Copies of, or access to, official documentation outlining the scope and
purpose of the contract with Lockheed Martin.
Any assessments, briefings, or reports regarding potential dual-use
capabilities of the system (civilian and military applications).
Any privacy, security, or surveillance impact assessments conducted in
relation to SouthPAN.
Clarification on whether SouthPAN is intended to integrate with, support,
or operate alongside existing or planned telecommunications
infrastructure, including 5G networks or broader “smart city” systems.
Details of any ground-based infrastructure located within New Zealand that
supports SouthPAN, including but not limited to reference stations, uplink
facilities, or monitoring sites, and their general locations and
functions.
If any part of this request is refused, I request that the grounds for
refusal be clearly stated as per the Act.If I have sent this to the wrong
authority please redirect it to the appropriate one
Kind regards,
Yours faithfully, Aaron

 

 

I attach the following:

 

o A request for official information from Aaron dated 25 March 2026.
o Our email to Aaron dated 27 March 2026, notifying that the request is
being transferred to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).

 

 

This letter serves as a formal transfer for the above request under
Section 14 of the Official Information Act. You have 20 working days from
receipt of this transfer to make and communicate a decision on this
request.

 

Ngā mihi

Maria

 

Maria Castello

Advisor – Ministerial Services Business Advisory 

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment/Hīkina Whakatutuki

Īmera/Email: [15][email address] 

15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011

show quoted sections