Kiwis put safety ahead of privacy at airports - poll

More than two-thirds of New Zealanders are willing to submit to full body electronic scans at airports, a survey has revealed.

Although the Government has no plans to introduce new screening technology, the latest Unisys Security Index shows New Zealanders would be happy to sacrifice their privacy for increased aviation security.

Unisys New Zealand's managing director, Brett Hodgson, said the findings followed renewed debate about the use of full body scanners after incidents including the attempted bombing of a transatlantic flight on Christmas Day.

Some of the scanning technology that would allow full body searches is illegal in New Zealand because it produces a naked image.

The survey asked 532 people aged 18 and over about their security concerns in four areas - financial, personal, national and internet.

On a scale of zero (no concern) to 300 (highest level of concern), the security index stands at 115 - only two points higher than the previous survey, last October.

The greatest increase since the last survey was in personal security which was up 7 per cent on the last survey.

Of the 91 per cent of respondents who travelled by air, 66 per cent were willing to submit to full body scans.

Sixty-seven per cent were willing to prove their identity by providing biometric data such as iris scans and fingerprints.

Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff has said extensive public consultation would be required before the law was changed.