Security act review: Gisborne lawyer on two-person panel

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A Gisborne lawyer is helping head up a top level independent review into New Zealand's intelligence services.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed Sir Terence Arnold and Gisborne's Matanuku Mahuika to undertake a review of the Intelligence and Security Act 2017, which lays out the objectives, functions and powers for the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS), and the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB).

In a statement responding to questions posed about the review to Mr Mahuika from The Gisborne Herald, the Intelligence and Security Act Review Secretariat said the reviewers were not providing further comments at this time.

“However, in line with the review's Terms of Reference, the reviewers are working to determine whether improvements could be made to the act so it remains effective, clear and fit for purpose.

“They are also working to ensure that the review meets community expectations around transparency as far as possible and that members of the public have the opportunity to express their views on issues related to the review.”

The independent review will establish whether the act appropriately balances national, community and individual security with individual privacy and other rights; whether the act sufficiently enables and controls target discovery activity by the intelligence and security agencies; whether the authorisation framework under the act can be improved to better serve the purpose of the act; and whether the act adequately provides, and has appropriate protections and oversight in place, for the collection of intelligence by both intelligence and security agencies. In particular the review will consider the processing, analysis, retention and destruction of collected information and data.

It will also establish how the act may best enable the intelligence and security agencies to appropriately and effectively cooperate and share information with New Zealand government agencies and other partners.

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