Members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) have reinforced the strong ties between Australia and New Zealand on intelligence and security issues during a visit to New Zealand on 14 and 15 August.
The PJCIS delegation was led by the Committee Chair, Mr Peter Khalil MP, and included PJCIS members Mr Andrew Hastie MP, Senator James Paterson and Senator Marielle Smith. At the Committee’s invitation, the delegation was joined by the Director-General National Intelligence, Mr Andrew Shearer; and the Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Ms Kerri Hartland.
The delegation met with various members of the New Zealand Government and opposition, parliamentary representatives and intelligence leaders, including: Minister for Defence Andrew Little; Opposition Leader Christopher Luxon; Deputy Opposition Leader Nicola Willis; Opposition Spokesperson for Defence and Veterans Tim Van de Molen; the heads of the New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) and National Assessments Bureau (NAB); senior leaders of the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Defence Secretary Andrew Bridgeman; the Vice chief of the New Zealand Defence Force, Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies; and representatives from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Committee Chair and delegation leader, Mr Khalil, said that the visit focused on enhancing the already strong relationship and coordination between Australia and New Zealand in the Indo-Pacific. Discussions focused on further strengthening collaboration as active partners across the Pacific.
‘The visit follows the release of a series of important national security statements by the New Zealand government. Australia and New Zealand are more closely aligned than ever before on the Indo-Pacific security environment’, Mr Khalil said.
