Access to Information held by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service

The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) and the Privacy Act 1993.  This legislation provides for members of the public to gain access to records held by the NZSIS, subject to certain provisos.

Each request for access is assessed on an individual basis and where possible the information sought is released, usually in the form of photocopies of documents.  The OIA and the Privacy Act provide for information to be withheld where necessary for reasons of security or privacy.  Particularly with more recent records it is often the case that documents, or sections of them, cannot be made public. Both Acts also provide for requests to be declined where the information sought is not readily retrievable.  The Service reserves the right, as permitted under the OIA, to charge for information made available under that Act.

When requesting information please provide as much detail as possible about the subject and be as specific as you can about the area of interest to you.

If you are requesting information about a person it would be helpful if you could provide, where applicable:

• Full name
• Aliases/nicknames
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Date of death
• Activities/organisations the person is/was associated with

Note that privacy-sensitive information will generally only be released to the individual concerned, or to family members who will be asked to substantiate their relationship.

If you are seeking information about an organisation it would be helpful (especially if it is little-known) if you could provide:

• Name(s) by which it is/was known
• Unit, branch or geographical location of interest
• Period/years of interest

Requests should be addressed in writing to: