NZ must keep up with threats identified by other countries: Prime Minister

Prime Minister Bill English is talking about addressing threats from other countries but he's not saying much about Cabinet changes. Photo/Andrew Warner

New Zealand must keep up with the kinds of threats identified by other countries, Prime Minister Bill English says.

That's after Transport Minister Simon Bridges said beefing up security on flights from Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East is under consideration.

Bridges said in Dubai that the Civil Aviation Authority is going over the evidence and deciding what is appropriate.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB, the Prime Minister confirmed it's being looked into.

"Because it's quite an inconvenience for passengers, particularly on long-haul flights [and] New Zealanders are doing long-haul flights, then we need to consider it pretty carefully. So he's just stepping through that process," English said.

Additional security measures would affect passengers flying from Dubai and Doha, where carriers Emirates and Qatar Airway respectively fly direct to New Zealand.

Any new rules would follow measures introduced last month by the United States, Britain and Australia.

English said he couldn't comment on any intelligence advice.

"We don't want to overreact to possible threats but we do want to make sure we're keeping up with the type of threat that is a real to New Zealanders and that's a pretty fine balance at times.

"The fact these other countries have taken this step is telling in itself, the question is whether we've got any different sort of circumstances that mean we may not need to take that step," English said.

Although he is talking about security, the Prime Minister is staying mum on who'll get what role in his Cabinet reshuffle.

English will be announcing his new-look cabinet this afternoon.

English told Newstalk ZB the re-shuffle will be narrowly focused.

He said the main priority is having a Cabinet that delivers for the public, not trying to work out what their new roles entail.

Mr English said two ministers who are leaving, Hekia Parata and Murray McCully, will be replaced and fortunately he's able to pick their replacements from a group of motivated people.