Minister Responsible for the NZSIS and GCSB, Andrew Little, is visiting the capitals of New Zealand’s Five Eyes intelligence partners to meet ministerial counterparts and attend the Billington Cyber Security Summit.
The 10-day trip will see Mr Little visit Canberra, Washington DC, Ottawa and London, where he will also meet parliamentary intelligence committee members and visit partner agency headquarters.
“Quality intelligence informs good policy decisions and operational delivery across government agencies, and helps keep us safe. New Zealand has been part of the Five Eyes since 1956 and the partnership gives us access to more intelligence, support, and better technology,” Mr Little said.
“Just recently New Zealand has benefitted from the information gathered and shared from our partners around Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, including the cybersecurity implications.”
He said the NZSIS and GCSB make unique and highly valued contributions to the Five Eyes partnership across a range of intelligence and security areas, including counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, geostrategic competition, and in countering espionage, foreign interference and weapons of mass destruction proliferation.
“New Zealand is proudly independent. The activities of our intelligence agencies are carried out in accordance with the government’s National Security Intelligence Priorities, and legislation including our human rights laws. The NZSIS and GCSB are subject to robust oversight, including from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.”
“Following the opening of the borders, the resumption of face-to-face ministerial contacts will reinforce our partnership at a time of greater global instability and geostrategic competition,” Minister Little said.
