IR-01-23-34649
24 November 2023
John
[email address]
[email address]
Dear John
Request for information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) requests dated 30 October 2023.
On 30 October 2023, you emailed to request information regarding ‘Motivations of the
people in He Aranga Ake’. My response to these questions is provided below.
1.
Can you briefly detail the specific ideological or faith-based component (motivations
detailed in Know the Signs) for which the 8 people are being interacted with under the
He Aranga Ake framework?
On 24 August 2023 you requested this information. On 26 October 2023, Police responded (Police
reference IR-01-23-27045 refers) to advise that due to the current small numbers of persons within
HAA, providing the specific breakdown of ideology could lead to the identification of those involved,
and is withheld under the fol owing grounds:
•
section 6(c) of the OIA, as the making available of this information would be likely to
prejudice the maintenance of the law including the prevention, investigation and
detection of offences and the right to a fair trial, and
•
section 9(2)(a) of the OIA, to protect the privacy of natural persons, and
•
section 9(2)(c) of the OIA, to avoid prejudice to measures protecting the health or
safety of members of the public
Our position has not changed.
2.
Are they Christian? Are they Muslim? Are they Hindu? Are they Maori identitarians?
Are they black identitarians? Are they white identitarians? Are they motivated by
anarchism? Are they motivated by communism? Are they motivated by fascism?
These categories are purposeful y vague so you can 'protect their interests and their
right to a fair trial.'
Police does not hold all the information on the individuals within the framework which falls within the
categories you have outlined. Therefore, this part of your request is refused under section 18(g) of
the OIA, as the information requested is not held.
The information that does falls in to or aligns with your request is withheld under the fol owing
grounds:
•
section 6(c) of the OIA, where making available of this information would be likely to
prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation and
detection of offences and the right to a fair trial, and
•
section 9(2)(a) of the OIA, to protect the privacy of natural persons, and
•
section 9(2)(c) of the OIA, to avoid prejudice to measures protecting the health or
safety of members of the public
On 30 October 2023, you emailed to request information regarding ‘Beyond He Aranga Ake’.
My response to these questions is provided below.
3.
How many individuals do the Police monitor who fit the motivating factors of the He
Aranga Ake framework (detailed in Know the Signs) but do not currently exist within
the disengagement framework itself.
Police has interpreted this question to request the number of individuals considered by Police that
would fit the indicator factors associated with knowing the signs, as outlined in the ‘Kia mataara ki
ngā tohu Know the signs’ published by the New Zealand Security Intel igence Service. Police is
withholding the information requested in ful under the following sections:
•
section 6(a) of the OIA, as the making available of this information would be likely to
prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand or the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand
•
section 6(c) of the OIA, as the making available of this information is likely to prejudice
the maintenance of the law including the prevention, investigation and detection of
offences and the right to a fair trial, and
•
section 9(2)(a) of the OIA, to protect the privacy of natural persons, and
•
section 9(2)(c) of the OIA, to avoid prejudice to measures protecting the health or
safety of members of the public
4.
I'm also interested in the motivating factors for your monitoring of the individuals. Are
they monitored because of their religious beliefs (Muslims, Christian, Hindu, etc.),
because of their ideological beliefs (communism, anarchism, fascism, etc.), or
because of their identity (white, black, Maori, etc.)?
Neither, Police investigate individuals because of their behaviour and activity, not what they believe.
Police considers the interests requiring protection by withholding the information outlined in question
one and three is not outweighed by any public interest in release of the information.
Please note that as part of its commitment to openness and transparency, Police proactively
releases some information and documents that may be of interest to the public. An anonymised
version of this response may be publicly released on the New Zealand Police website.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
To assist Police with any further information requests we would be happy to meet with you in person
to help us to clarify the information you are requesting.
Yours sincerely
Sean Hansen
Director: National Security Group
New Zealand Police
