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Intelligence and Security Act 2017

Oversight of intelligence and security agencies - Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security - Appointment, functions, duties, and powers of Inspector-General

157: Appointment of Inspector-General

You could also call this:

"Who gets to be the Inspector-General, the person checking intelligence and security agencies are doing their job correctly?"

Illustration for Intelligence and Security Act 2017

The office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security still exists. You can think of the Inspector-General as a person who checks that intelligence and security agencies are doing their jobs correctly. The Governor-General appoints the Inspector-General, but only after the House of Representatives recommends someone for the job.

The Prime Minister has to talk to the Intelligence and Security Committee about who they want to appoint before they can recommend someone. The Prime Minister then tells the House of Representatives what the committee thought about the proposed appointment.

The person appointed as Inspector-General must have a special security clearance, which is like a secret password that shows they can be trusted with important information. The Prime Minister decides what level of security clearance the Inspector-General needs to have, you can find more information about this by looking at the Intelligence and Security Act.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6921170.

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Government and voting > Government departmentsCrime and justice > Police and safety
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156: Purpose of Part, or

"What this part of the law is about: keeping intelligence and security agencies in New Zealand honest and fair."

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158: Functions of Inspector-General, or

"The Inspector-General's job is to check if spy agencies are following the rules and doing their jobs correctly."

Part 6Oversight of intelligence and security agencies
Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security: Appointment, functions, duties, and powers of Inspector-General

157Appointment of Inspector-General

  1. There continues to be an office called the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security.

  2. The Inspector-General is appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the House of Representatives.

  3. Before a recommendation may be made under subsection (2), the Prime Minister must—

  4. consult the Intelligence and Security Committee about the proposed appointment; and
    1. advise the House of Representatives on the outcome of that consultation.

      1. The Inspector-General must hold a government-sponsored security clearance of a level determined by the Prime Minister.

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