PM welcomes Inspector-General’s report

Prime Minister John Key today welcomed the report of Cheryl Gwyn, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, into issues around the release of information by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS).

“This is the first inquiry by the Inspector-General under the new oversight regime that my Government passed into law last year,” Mr Key says.

“I said at the time oversight was being significantly strengthened and today’s thorough report is a clear demonstration of that.

“This inquiry process began after a series of political claims that I had personally been involved in directing the NZSIS to release information, or that I had given clearance for this to occur.

“These claims are proven to be entirely incorrect by the Inspector-General’s inquiry.

“Instead, the inquiry finds that the NZSIS disclosed ‘incomplete, inaccurate and misleading information’ to my office and to me.

“Further, the Inspector-General notes that the decision to release information and the timing of when to do so ‘were all made by NZSIS’, and that she ‘did not find any indication of collusion by or direction to NZSIS’.

“I have received an unreserved apology from the NZSIS for providing incomplete, inaccurate and misleading information to my office.

“I’m aware that current NZSIS Director Rebecca Kitteridge has also apologised to Phil Goff, which is appropriate.

“The inquiry finds that a staff member in my office provided information to a blogger but it also notes that disclosure did not breach any obligations of confidentiality.

“These events happened more than three years ago and a lot has changed since then, including the systems in place at the NZSIS.

“There are lessons to be learned from these events and the NZSIS has accepted all of the recommendations the Inspector-General has made.

“Warren Tucker has accepted he fell short of expectations in this instance but he remains a person who contributed a lot during his long public service career,” Mr Key says.