Intelligence and Security Act 2017

Authorisations - Intelligence warrants - Authorised activities and powers

69: Powers of Government Communications Security Bureau under intelligence warrant

You could also call this:

"What the Government Communications Security Bureau can do with a special permission slip"

Illustration for Intelligence and Security Act 2017

The Director-General of the Government Communications Security Bureau, or an employee they authorise, can do certain things when they have an intelligence warrant. You can think of an intelligence warrant like a special permission slip that lets them do things they normally couldn't. They can access information infrastructures, which means they can use the resources or features of things like computers or phones.

They can also install devices to watch or listen to people, or to intercept communications, but only to keep themselves and their activities safe. The Director-General or their employee can use electricity from a place or thing if they need to, as long as it's part of what they're allowed to do under the warrant.

They have to follow any rules or conditions that are part of the warrant, and they can only do things that are reasonable and necessary to achieve what they're trying to do. If they're accessing an information infrastructure, that can include things like storing or retrieving data, making photos or videos, or using any part of the infrastructure.

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This page was last updated on 3 October 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6921076.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Police and safetyRights and equality > Privacy

68: Powers of New Zealand Security Intelligence Service acting under intelligence warrant, or

"What the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service can do when they have a special permission called an intelligence warrant"

70: Privileged communications or privileged information, or

"Private conversations and information that are protected by law, like talks with your lawyer."

Part 4Authorisations
Intelligence warrants: Authorised activities and powers

69Powers of Government Communications Security Bureau under intelligence warrant

The Director-General of the Government Communications Security Bureau, or an employee of that intelligence and security agency authorised by the Director-General for that purpose, may exercise the following powers to give effect to the intelligence warrant:
access an information infrastructure, or a class of information infrastructures:
install, use, maintain, or remove a visual surveillance device to maintain the operational security of any activity authorised to be carried out:
install, use, maintain, or remove an interception device:
extract and use, in the course of carrying out activities allowed by the warrant, any electricity from a place or thing:
do any act that is reasonable in the circumstances and reasonably required to conceal the fact that anything has been done under the warrant and to keep the activities of the intelligence and security agency covert:
do any other act that is reasonable in the circumstances and reasonably required to achieve the purposes for which the warrant was issued.

Subsection (1) applies subject to any restrictions or conditions imposed under section 64 and stated in the warrant.
In this section, access an information infrastructure includes—
instructing, communicating with, storing data in, retrieving data from, or otherwise making use of the resources or features of the infrastructure:
making photographs, videos, and sound recordings, or using the infrastructure or any part of it.