New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS)

VERIFIED 25 November 2014

Inspector-General report on information released to a blogger

The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security concluded the NZSIS's 2011 Official Information Act release to blogger Cameron Slater, about a briefing to then-Opposition leader Phil Goff, was incomplete, inaccurate and misleading and led to misplaced criticism of Goff. RNZ reports she found no evidence the service was playing politics.

Sources (opened in a new tab):

RNZ: Report slams SIS over info release ↗ https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/260203/report-slams-sis-over-info-release

Inspector-General public report (PDF) ↗ https://igis.govt.nz/assets/Inquiries/FINAL-REPORT-INTO-THE-RELEASE-OF-INFORMATION-BY-NZSIS-IN-JULY-AND-AUGUST-2.pdf

VERIFIED Full report released 22 March 2021

Arotake internal review of the 2019 Christchurch attacks

NZSIS published its 135-page internal review of its decision-making before the March 2019 attacks. It found NZSIS systems 'broadly effective' and listed five areas to improve; the executive summary says the attacker was a lone actor who took deliberate steps to conceal his plans. A separate Royal Commission reported on 8 December 2020.

Sources (opened in a new tab):

RNZ: Spy agency releases full internal report ↗ https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/emergencies_national/438888/spy-agency-releases-full-internal-report-into-christchurch-terror-attack

NZSIS Arotake executive summary (PDF) ↗ https://www.nzsis.govt.nz/assets/NZSIS-Documents/News-supporting/AROTAKE-Executive-Summary-1.pdf

DPMC: Royal Commission of Inquiry (44 recommendations) ↗ https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/national-security/royal-commission-inquiry-terrorist-attack-christchurch-masjidain