Recruitment to Executive and or Directoral positions within the NZ Intelligence Community
Kilian O'Gorman made this Official Information request to Public Service Commission
The request was successful.
From: Kilian O'Gorman
Dear State Services Commission,
The GCSB, NZSIS, and other departments within the NZIC (those that rest under the auspices of the DPMC) stipulate when recruiting to various non-executive positions that there is a minimum requirement for applicants to hold at least NZ citizenship, and in the case of the GCSB, must hold that citizenship for a period of ten years. Alternatively, citizens of Australia, Canada, the UK, or the US may apply for positions within these entities if they have held their countries passports for a period of at least ten years.
Would you please provide, a copy of any internal SSC policy , advice, or memoranda which - specifically- relates to the requirements regarding any minimum or advisory Citizenship status which must or should be considered, when recruiting to Directorship positions within the NZ Intelligence Committee ( those directorships which relate to the entities which are responsibilities of the Dept. of PM and Cabinet).
If there are no such documents, or if it will assist minimising your workload - would you please provide a brief summary of the expectations of the SSC with regards to the Citizenship status (and any duration thereof) for applicants to these executive positions, which are security- critical functions within New Zealand.
I am a resident of NZ.
Yours faithfully,
Kilian O'Gorman
From: SSC Enquiries [SSC]
[UNCLASSIFIED]
Kia ora Kilian
OUR REF: SSCOIA 04/16/05
Thank you for your email dated 8 April requesting information under the Official Information Act Request 1982. Your request is under consideration and you will receive a response in due course, within the timeframes set under that Act.
Nga mihi
Alistair
--
Alistair Ferris
Ministerial Advisor
State Services Commission
DDI: +64 4 495 6763
Fax: +64 4 495 6686
[email address]
www.ssc.govt.nz | newzealand.govt.nz
New Zealand’s State Services Commission: Leading a State sector New Zealand is proud of
...........................................................................................................................................
Caution: If you have received this message in error please notify the sender immediately and then delete this message along with any attachments. Please treat the contents of this message as private and in confidence.
show quoted sections
From: Kilian O'Gorman
Dear Alistair Ferris
OUR REF: SSCOIA 04/16/05
I have just noticed that my OIA request uses the term "Directorships within the NZ Intelligence Committee", within the body of the text.
It should have read "...within the NZ Intelligence Community"
Apologies for any inconvenience to you that this typo may have caused.
Yours sincerely,
Kilian O'Gorman
From: Alistair Ferris [SSC]
[IN-CONFIDENCE]
Dear Mr O’Gorman
Extension Official Information Act Request
OUR REF: SSCOIA 04/16/05
I refer to your email request to the State Services Commission (SSC) dated
8 April 2016. This request was for a copy of any internal SSC policy,
advice, or memoranda which – specifically – relates to the requirements
regarding any minimum or advisory citizenship status which must or should
be considered, when recruiting to directorship positions within the New
Zealand Intelligence Community (those directorships which relate to the
entities which are responsibilities of the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet).
You noted that if there are no such documents, or if it will assist
minimising SSC’s workload, would SSC please provide a brief summary of
SSC’s expectations with regards to the citizenship status (and any
duration thereof) for applicants to these executive positions, which are
security-critical functions within New Zealand.
I am writing to advise you that I am extending the time for replying to
your request to Monday 30 May 2016, as consultations are necessary to make
a proper response to your request and they cannot reasonably be made
within the original time limit (section 15A(1)(b) of the Official
Information Act).
I am also writing to seek clarification that your request relates to the
recruitment of the Chief Executive positions for the Government
Communications Security Bureau and the New Zealand Security Intelligence
Service, which SSC undertakes on behalf of, and at the request of,
responsible Ministers (in accordance with paragraph 3.24 of the Cabinet
Manual). SSC does not have responsibility for the recruitment of any
other positions within those agencies.
I remind you of your right to make a complaint to an Ombudsman under
section 28(3) of the Act about this extension.
Yours sincerely
Alistair Ferris
--
Alistair Ferris
Ministerial Advisor
State Services Commission
DDI: +64 4 495 6763
Fax: +64 4 495 6686
[email address]
[1]www.ssc.govt.nz | [2]newzealand.govt.nz
New Zealand’s State Services Commission: Leading a State sector New
Zealand is proud of
...........................................................................................................................................
Caution: If you have received this message in error please notify the
sender immediately and then delete this message along with any
attachments. Please treat the contents of this message as private and in
confidence.
...........................................................................................................................................
Caution: If you have received this message in error please notify the
sender immediately and then delete this message along with any
attachments. Please treat the contents of this message as private and
confidential.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.ssc.govt.nz/
2. http://newzealand.govt.nz/
From: Kilian O'Gorman
Dear Alistair Ferris [SSC],
Yes Alistair- I am interested only in those positions that the SSC has some responsibilities in recruiting.
It may be of interest to you that GCSB has just today responded to a similar OIA request, here:
https://fyi.org.nz/request/3877-minimum-...
Yours sincerely,
Kilian O'Gorman
From: Kilian O'Gorman
Dear Alistair Ferris [SSC],
Thanks for your response Alistair.
I am interested in all of the positions within the NZ Intelligence Community for which SSC holds a responsibility for recruitment. If this is restricted to CEO's, then that would be fine thanks.
Some context to my request:
The GCSB has kindly confirmed for me that an American citizen (of more than 10 years) who arrives in NZ- can immediately apply for a position within NZIC and his/her application will be considered, but a NZ citizen who has lived in NZ for 40 years as a permanent resident, but who has held citizenship in NZ for only 9 years, cannot have an application considered (without making any assumptions about the Yanks' chances of success).
While the rationale for this arcane position is withheld under Sec (6)a, the GCSB were kind enough to suggest that the American citizen would be a less risky proposition for employment in an area so critical to NZ national security- because of the ease with which his/her background can be verified over 15 years. Apparently living here for 49 years, the last nine as a NZ citizen- affords a level of personal obscurity our Intelligence community cannot breach.
Personally, I don't get it.
Happy to take a call if that will be easier, if you provide a number and a time, and so negate the need for a written response- it is not my intention to add to your workload.
Yours sincerely,
Kilian O'Gorman
From: Alistair Ferris [SSC]
[UNCLASSIFIED]
Kia ora Kilian
OUR REF: 04/16/05
Please find attached our response to your OIA request of 8 April 2016.
Nga mihi
Alistair
--
Alistair Ferris
Ministerial Advisor
State Services Commission
DDI: +64 4 495 6763
Fax: +64 4 495 6686
[email address]
[1]www.ssc.govt.nz | [2]newzealand.govt.nz
New Zealand’s State Services Commission: Leading a State sector New
Zealand is proud of
...........................................................................................................................................
Caution: If you have received this message in error please notify the
sender immediately and then delete this message along with any
attachments. Please treat the contents of this message as private and in
confidence.
...........................................................................................................................................
Caution: If you have received this message in error please notify the
sender immediately and then delete this message along with any
attachments. Please treat the contents of this message as private and
confidential.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.ssc.govt.nz/
2. http://newzealand.govt.nz/
Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence
Offensive? Unsuitable?
Requests for personal information and vexatious requests are not considered valid requests for Official Information (read more).
If you believe this request is not suitable, you can report it for attention by the site administrators
Report this requestAct on what you've learnt
Similar requests
Minimum Citizenship Requirements for applicants to positions in the NZ Intelligence Community
To Government Communications Security Bureau by Kilian O'Gorman
Citizenship requirements for senior positions in DPMC or direct reports
To Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet by Kilian O'Gorman
