New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau - Definition and Overview

The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) is an intelligence agency of the New Zealand government.

The mission statement is given as:

To contribute to the national security of New Zealand through:

• providing foreign signals intelligence to support and inform Government decision making;
• providing an all-hours foreign intelligence watch and warning service to Government;
• ensuring the integrity, availability and confidentiality of official information through information systems security services to Government; and
• assisting in the protection of the national critical infrastructure from information-borne threats.

The GCSB was created in 1977 and operates two satellite receiving stations, one at Waihopai and the other at Tangimoana. These form part of the ECHELON spy network. The GCSB reports directly to the Prime Minister. Until 2001 the GCSB had no legal status.

See also

• New Zealand Security Intelligence Service

External link

• Government Communications Security Bureau web site (http://gcsb.govt.nz/)
• Anti Bases Campaign web site (http://www.converge.org.nz/abc/)