The head of the Government's electronic spy agency has told Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee he does not believe that America's National Security Agency targets New Zealanders.
Ian Fletcher, the director of the Government Communications Security Bureau, appeared along with Warren Tucker who heads the Security Intelligence Service on Tuesday.
Former GCSB director Ian Fletcher. Photo: RNZ
Mr Fletcher has appeared for the first public committee hearing ever held for the GCSB.
A law change after the controversy over the illegal spying operation on internet businessman Kim Dotcom included public financial reviews for both agencies.
Mr Fletcher told the committee that the GCSB is still dealing with the fallout, and will do for some time.
There were revelations last week from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that the United States and Britain have a deal allowing the NSA to analyse and store the personal information of British citizens.
Mr Fletcher told the committee he is confident that is not the case for New Zealanders.
"I am confident that the NSA does not engage in the kind of mass collection that was being talked about inside New Zealand. I'm confident that NSA, so far as I can see, has no reason to do it elsewhere against New Zealanders as a class of person."
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister John Key said it is a day to celebrate, because when the Government passed the GCSB legislation earlier in the year it made it clear it was raising the level of accountability and transparency of its intelligence agencies.
Mr Key said the committee hearing is an example of that, but many aspects of their activities will remain secret and they are not as enthralling as people believe.
"It's not quite James Bond. We do collect information, we do that to try and keep New Zealanders safe or to protect our intellectual property. We probably don't do anything more than any other country does, but also we don't do any less.
"And I think New Zealanders will expect us to collect information because whether we like it or not, there are some threats."
Mr Key repeated his assurance that the GCSB has not been spying on New Zealanders.
