Spy agencies at home in 'green' building

Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae with Prime Minister John Key. Photo / Mark Mitchell

New Zealand's spy agencies have a new home - a bland nine-storey building the colour of an overcast day - with the opening of Pipitea House in Wellington.

The building, which has movement sensors in meeting rooms, will be home to several intelligence agencies, including the Government Communications Security Bureau, the Combined Threat Assessments Group, the National Assessments Bureau and the Security and Risk Group.

It was opened yesterday by GCSB boss Jerry Mateparae and Prime Minister John Key, who is also the minister for the GCSB and the Security Intelligence Service.

Mr Key said intelligence-gathering protected New Zealanders at home and overseas, and had undoubtedly saved lives, though he would not give further details.

Housing all the agencies under one roof would save money through shared resources and make the intelligence community more efficient.

The Government's estimated spending on intelligence and security in the 2010/11 financial year was almost $107 million.

Entry to the building is controlled fingerprint scanners, and security blinds remain closed at all times.

It has nine floors and is designed to conserve energy.

It has solar heating for the bathrooms and kitchens, rooftop rock gardens and recycled rainwater for flushing the toilets, and it has a "5 Green Star" rating.

It was designed by Athfield Architects and built as a joint venture between the Redwood Group and the Wellington Tenths Trust, costing about $90 million.

The Government paid $34.5 million for the tenants' fitout and security.

At the opening, media handlers for the Defence Force refused to let journalists question General Mateparae, a former Chief of the Defence Force, about recent claims that SAS troops were complicit in the torture of prisoners in Afghanistan.

The claims have prompted calls for an independent inquiry, but that has been rejected by the Defence Force and Mr Key, who have dismissed the allegations as baseless.

General Mateparae will become the Governor-General in August, replacing Sir Anand Satyanand.