DPMC UAP national security coordination, NSIP status, and PURSUE response
Andrew Arkins made this Official Information request to Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
The request was partially successful.
From: Andrew Arkins
Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request information held by DPMC, including by the National Security Group (NSG) and the National Assessments Bureau (NAB), relating to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) at a national-security coordination level.
Two points of context establish relevance. First, the GCSB, in declining a related request, directed me to DPMC as the department responsible for the National Security Intelligence Priorities (NSIPs). Second, the New Zealand Defence Force has confirmed in writing (OIA-2024-5215, 10 December 2024) that a New Zealand representative attended the FVEY Inaugural UAP Caucus Working Group held at the Pentagon on 24 May 2023, which makes whole-of-government coordination on the topic plausible.
I request the following:
Whether UAP has been designated as, considered as, or formally evaluated for inclusion as a National Security Intelligence Priority, and any documents recording that consideration or decision.
Any National Security Group or National Assessments Bureau briefings, assessments, minutes, or coordination documents relating to UAP, from January 2020 to the present.
Any whole-of-government or inter-agency coordination documents relating to New Zealand's participation in the FVEY Inaugural UAP Caucus Working Group of 24 May 2023, including any briefing prepared for or following that meeting at a coordination or assessments level.
Any DPMC communications or coordination relating to the United States Department of War PURSUE UAP declassification program (war.gov/ufo), from 1 February 2026 to the present, including any New Zealand third-party equity review and any inter-agency briefing prepared in response to the releases.
If you believe any part of this request is held by, or more closely connected with the functions of, another agency, I ask that it be transferred under section 14 rather than refused. If any part is refused, please state the specific ground under section 18 or section 6 of the Act. I would appreciate confirmation of receipt and an estimated timeframe within the statutory 20 working days.
Yours faithfully,
Andrew Arkins
From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
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Link: [7]Edit-Time-Data
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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
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From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
[IN-CONFIDENCE]
Kia ora,
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA)
received on 5 June 2026, copied below. We will respond to your request
within the statutory timeframes set out in the Act. If we are unable to
meet these timeframes, we will notify you.
Your request will be managed by the Ministerial Services team within DPMC.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact us at
[1][DPMC request email].
DPMC may publish the response to your OIA request. If we publish the
response, your personal information, including your name and contact
details, will be removed.
Ngā mihi,
Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
E [2][DPMC request email]
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
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communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
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-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Arkins <[FOI #34857 email]>
Sent: Friday, 5 June 2026 4:19 pm
To: Information [DPMC] <[DPMC request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - DPMC UAP national security
coordination, NSIP status, and PURSUE response
Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request information held by
DPMC, including by the National Security Group (NSG) and the National
Assessments Bureau (NAB), relating to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena
(UAP) at a national-security coordination level.
Two points of context establish relevance. First, the GCSB, in declining a
related request, directed me to DPMC as the department responsible for the
National Security Intelligence Priorities (NSIPs). Second, the New Zealand
Defence Force has confirmed in writing (OIA-2024-5215, 10 December 2024)
that a New Zealand representative attended the FVEY Inaugural UAP Caucus
Working Group held at the Pentagon on 24 May 2023, which makes
whole-of-government coordination on the topic plausible.
I request the following:
Whether UAP has been designated as, considered as, or formally evaluated
for inclusion as a National Security Intelligence Priority, and any
documents recording that consideration or decision.
Any National Security Group or National Assessments Bureau briefings,
assessments, minutes, or coordination documents relating to UAP, from
January 2020 to the present.
Any whole-of-government or inter-agency coordination documents relating to
New Zealand's participation in the FVEY Inaugural UAP Caucus Working Group
of 24 May 2023, including any briefing prepared for or following that
meeting at a coordination or assessments level.
Any DPMC communications or coordination relating to the United States
Department of War PURSUE UAP declassification program (war.gov/ufo), from
1 February 2026 to the present, including any New Zealand third-party
equity review and any inter-agency briefing prepared in response to the
releases.
If you believe any part of this request is held by, or more closely
connected with the functions of, another agency, I ask that it be
transferred under section 14 rather than refused. If any part is refused,
please state the specific ground under section 18 or section 6 of the Act.
I would appreciate confirmation of receipt and an estimated timeframe
within the statutory 20 working days.
Yours faithfully,
Andrew Arkins
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Link: [7]File-List
Link: [8]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [9]themeData
Link: [10]colorSchemeMapping
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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: [11]File-List
Link: [12]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [13]themeData
Link: [14]colorSchemeMapping
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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:[DPMC request email]
2. mailto:[DPMC request email]
3. mailto:[FOI #34857 email]
4. mailto:[DPMC request email]
5. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
6. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
7. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
8. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
9. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
10. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml
11. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
12. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
13. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
14. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml
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From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
[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][DPMC request email]
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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: [6]File-List
Link: [7]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [8]themeData
Link: [9]colorSchemeMapping
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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:[DPMC request email]
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
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Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence (note: this contains the same information already available above).
