Australia and Oceania countries

Home page

Spy agency says China, Iran and Russia interfering in NZ

11 August 2023 10:15 (UTC +04:00)

New Zealand's spy agency has named China, Iran and Russia as the three main countries conducting foreign interference in New Zealand, APA reports citing 1news.

It's part of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service's (NZSIS) first comprehensive assessment on the threats of violent extremism, foreign interference and espionage facing New Zealand.

NZSIS director-general of security Andrew Hampton said being "more open" about national security meant New Zealand could develop a greater understanding and be better placed to manage risks.

The report, titled New Zealand’s Security Threat Environment 2023, said while there were only a small number of states who conducted foreign interference in New Zealand, their "ability to cause harm is significant".

"The primary target remains the Government but now there are broader objectives that can see corporates, research institutions and government contractors in focus.

"NZSIS has detected interference activity from a number of foreign states". According to the source, most notable are Russia, China and Iran.