- Hon Andrew Little
Minister Responsible for the NZSIS and GCSB Andrew Little will visit the capitals of the Five Eyes intelligence partnership - Canberra, Washington DC, Ottawa and London - from Sunday 4 until Wednesday 14 September.
He will meet ministerial counterparts and parliamentary intelligence committee members, visit partner agency headquarters, and attend the Billington Cyber Security Summit.
"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," Andrew 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.
"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," Andrew Little said.
