You live in a free and open society. This Act helps protect it. It does this by setting up agencies to keep you safe. These agencies help keep New Zealand secure. You want to know how they do it. They protect New Zealand's national security and its relationships with other countries. They also help keep New Zealand's economy strong. These agencies must follow the law and respect human rights. They must work with integrity and professionalism. This means they must be honest and do their job well. The agencies are also watched to make sure they do their job correctly. This is called oversight and it helps keep them accountable. It ensures they use their powers responsibly and do not abuse them.