About us

We’re a government department that investigates threats to New Zealand’s national security.

The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) is New Zealand’s domestic security agency and lead organisation for human intelligence (HUMINT).

Our mission is to keep New Zealand and New Zealanders safe and secure.

We fulfil our mission across a range of functions. These include:

  • The protection of New Zealand’s national security
  • The international relations and well-being of New Zealand
  • The economic well-being of New Zealand.

We meet these objectives through the performance of our statutory functions:

  • Intelligence collection, analysis and assessment
  • Protective security services, advice and assistance
  • Cooperation with other public authorities to facilitate their functions
  • Cooperation with other entities to respond to imminent threat. 

We work to ensure New Zealand policy makers have intelligence to support good decision making.

Our people come from right across New Zealand society. They work in various roles, such as investigators, case officers, analysts, linguists, technology experts and other professional and support staff.

Our headquarters are in Wellington, and we have regional offices in Auckland and Christchurch. We also have staff based overseas.

On our fiftieth anniversary in 2006 we were gifted a name in te reo Māori, Te Pā Whakamarumaru. Te Pā Whakamarumaru translates to The Sheltering Citadel.

We are committed to lifting our capability as a Treaty partner and have just begun our journey to understand, respect and incorporate Te Ao Māori perspectives into our every day work.

All collection and analysis of intelligence we undertake is in accordance with the New Zealand Government’s priorities.  These are primarily established through the National Security Intelligence Priorities - Whakaarotau Marumaru Aotearoa (NSIPs) which are set by the Government and reviewed every two years. The NSIPs outline the focus areas for all intelligence and assessment activity across the national security sector and NZSIS contributes to this.

Read the National Security Intelligence Priorities - Whakaarotau Marumaru(external link) on the DPMC website.

The NZSIS Strategy is about positioning ourselves to have the greatest impact on Aotearoa New Zealand’s national security. We are making it clear to the public, our partners and our own people what we aim to deliver for them.

It starts with our Mission to keep New Zealand and New Zealander’s safe and secure and makes clear the Services and Impacts that enhance our contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand.

We have three key areas that we are focusing on through to 2029:

  • delivering impact with and for others
  • improving our ways of working
  • utilising data and digital.

These Focus Areas are supported by seven objectives that will drive the delivery of our strategy over the next six years.

You can read more about this in the NZSIS Strategy 2024-2029.

NZSIS Strategy 2024-2029 [PDF, 1.1 MB]

 

Our strategic alignment

The GCSB and the NZSIS each have our own strategic focus and unique identity and capabilities but the nature of our work and the complex threat environment we face create a strong partnership between us.

Our Joint Statement of Common Purpose speaks to the functions we share and our commitment to aligning with each other for greater national security outcomes.

GCSB-NZSIS Joint Statement of Common Purpose [PDF, 216 KB]

You can also read the GCSB Strategy 2023-2027.

GCSB Strategy 2023-2027 [PDF, 800 KB]

Our values as an organisation are:

Collaborative: We are stronger together.

Driven: We go the extra mile.

Self-aware: We understand our impact. We own our behaviour.

Courageous: We walk towards the challenge.

Positive: We are constructive.

We are politically neutral public servants. The law requires us to do nothing that promotes or harms the interests of any political party or candidate.

Our Director-General reports to the Minister responsible for the NZSIS, who is part of the democratically elected Government of the day. We are also required to report on some matters to the Intelligence and Security Committee. The committee includes members from the Government and the Opposition, and Parliament endorses its membership.

The Law requires our Director-General to meet regularly with the Leader of the Opposition to keep them informed about matters relating to the NZSIS.

Learn more about the Intelligence and Security Committee.

The NZSIS, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), and the National Assessments Bureau (NAB) within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet form the core national intelligence, assessment and protective security functions of the NZIC.

Our community exists to protect New Zealand as a free, open, and democratic society.

We have a crucial role to play in understanding the threats New Zealand faces and how to guard against those threats.

As a community we work to ensure New Zealand is protected from harm and that New Zealand policy makers have intelligence to support good decision making.

The intelligence-based insights and advice provided by the NZIC contribute to decisions that sustain and enhance New Zealand’s security and wellbeing.

We also work with the specialist intelligence functions of other agencies such as the New Zealand Police, the New Zealand Customs Service, the New Zealand Defence Force, and Immigration New Zealand.

GCSB

The GCSB collects Signals Intelligence, in accordance with New Zealand’s National Security Intelligence Priorities - Whakaarotau Marumaru, and provides that intelligence to relevant parties to support informed decision making. The GCSB also ensures the integrity and confidentiality of government information, provides cyber security services to organisations of national significance, and assists other New Zealand government agencies.

Find out more about the GCSB(external link)

National Assessments Bureau

The National Assessment Bureau, within the National Security Group, helps inform government decision-making by providing intelligence assessments on events and developments that are relevant to New Zealand’s interests. It is also responsible for promoting excellence in intelligence analysis across the New Zealand Government.

Find out more about the National Assessments Bureau(external link)

Find out more about the National Security Group(external link)