Dear New Zealand Police,

interception warrant annual reports

2.1 Section 4A of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service Act 1969 provides for the issue of interception warrants. Clause 3 of the bill amends that section. Clauses 2, 4, and 5 insert new provisions into the Act which interact with section 4A. The aspect of particular interest to me on this occasion is section 4A(5) which provides for annual public reporting in relation to the issue and operation of interception warrants.

The Minister shall, as soon as practicable after the close of each year ending with the 31st day of March, review all warrants issued under subsection (1) ... for the preceding 12 months or at any time in force during those 12 months, and prepare and lay before Parliament a report relating to such of those warrants as were issued for the purposes of subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) ... and the interceptions and seizures made for those purposes in the immediately preceding year, which report shall include information (not being information prejudicial to security) on:

(a) the number of warrants issued for the purposes of that subparagraph; and

(b) the average length of time for which all warrants issued under subparagraph (1) of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) ... and in force at any time in the immediately preceding year (whether issued under that subparagraph in the immediately preceding year or in any earlier year) have been in force in the immediately preceding year; and

(c) the methods of interception and seizure used under the last-mentioned warrants, -
and shall provide a general assessment of the importance of the warrants issued for the purposes of that subparagraph." (10)

Yours faithfully,

D & L