Contribute to Aotearoa New Zealand’s first National Security Strategy

Overview

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is developing Aotearoa's first National Security Strategy, focused on protecting New Zealand and its people, today and into the future. 

To help develop this Strategy, we want to hear your thoughts and ideas on our long-term approach to national security. Your feedback will build on what we heard during engagements and community hui on the response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain, as well as what we heard on broader national security issues as part of the National Security Long-term Insights Briefing.

Find out more at one of our public webinars

DPMC is hosting two webinars on the National Security Strategy in September.

• 7 - 8pm Thursday 8 September
• 12 noon - 1pm Monday 19 September

Register here to attend a webinar

The National Security Strategy will help to protect and advance a more secure and resilient New Zealand. 

The Strategy will strengthen our current national security system, by:

• Setting out a plan for how we can work together with New Zealand, our communities, the private sector, and international partners
• Ensuring New Zealand can make appropriate national security choices for the nation
• Reflecting a commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi and recognising the role of Māori in national security
• Recognising the importance of the Pacific and the deep interconnections between New Zealand and our region

The Strategy will focus on national security threats – both now and looking into the future. It will outline our national security interests, identify current and future security challenges, and describe priority areas for system reform.

What is national security and why does it matter?

New Zealand’s concept of national security is focused on protecting
New Zealand from malicious threats from those who would do us harm. National security contributes to people's wellbeing, and involves working to identify, mitigate, and respond to threats that impact New Zealand and ts people, including:

• Terrorism and violent extremism of all kinds
• Interference by another country in our democracy (for example by covertly influencing our election process and voting decisions)
• Cyber incidents that affect important computer networks (for example the loss of access to bank accounts, extraction of data and personal records, or disruptions to power supply)

National security is also about opportunities for us to work together to advance New Zealand’s national security interests.

Our context and experiences as a country have changed

The Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terror attack on Christchurch masjidain emphasised the need for stronger leadership and direction in national security, including recommending a new national intelligence and security agency. It also highlighted the importance of accountable decision-making and increased public discussion on national security issues. 

Our geographic distance and small size no longer protect us in the way they once did. New Zealand faces growing security challenges, and we need to act early to identify, prevent, and mitigate these threats. 

You can find information about national security and the Strategy in Arabic, Español, Gagana Sāmoa, te reo Māori, Korean, and Simplified Chinese here.

What happens next

Public submissions have now closed. The feedback received will inform the development of Aotearoa New Zealand's first National Security Strategy. The Strategy is expected to be released in mid-2023.