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Intelligence and Security Act 2017

Miscellaneous provisions - Annual reports

224: Restrictions on reports to House of Representatives

You could also call this:

"Rules for keeping some information secret in reports to Parliament"

Illustration for Intelligence and Security Act 2017

When the Intelligence and Security Committee writes a report for the House of Representatives, you need to think about what information is safe to share. The Committee must consider security requirements when presenting a report. This means they have to be careful about what they say to keep people and information safe.

The Committee cannot share certain information in their report, such as information that might stop other countries from trusting the New Zealand Government with secrets. They also cannot share information that could put someone's life in danger. Additionally, they cannot share sensitive information that was given to them in confidence, as stated in section 203(2) or (3).

The Committee also cannot share the names of people who work for intelligence and security agencies, or any information that could reveal who they are, unless they think it is really important for the public to know. They also cannot share information that could harm New Zealand's security, defence, or relationships with other countries, unless they have a very good reason to do so.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6921262.

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Part 7Miscellaneous provisions
Annual reports

224Restrictions on reports to House of Representatives

  1. The Intelligence and Security Committee must, when presenting an annual report or any other report to the House of Representatives, have regard generally to security requirements.

  2. The Intelligence and Security Committee must not disclose in a report to the House of Representatives—

  3. any information that, if publicly disclosed, would be likely to prejudice the entrusting of information to the Government of New Zealand on a basis of confidence—
    1. by the Government of any other country or any agency of such a Government; or
      1. by any international organisation; or
      2. any information that, if publicly disclosed, would be likely to endanger the safety of any person; or
        1. any sensitive information disclosed to the Committee in accordance with section 203(2) or (3).

          1. The Intelligence and Security Committee must not disclose in a report to the House of Representatives the following information unless the Committee considers that there are compelling reasons in the public interest to do so:

          2. the identity of any person who is or has been an officer, employee, or agent of an intelligence and security agency, other than the Director-General, or any information from which the identity of such a person could reasonably be inferred; or
            1. any information that, if publicly disclosed, would be likely—
              1. to prejudice the continued performance of the functions of an intelligence and security agency; or
                1. to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand or the international relations of the Government of New Zealand.

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