The NZSIS says elected representatives, their staff and families need to be alert to threats.
Foreign states are persistently trying to interfere in our local councils, exploiting sister city relationships and attempting bribery through proxies, the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service has warned.
In the final fortnight of local body election voting, NZSIS director-general Andrew Hampton told the Herald the next crop of mayors, councillors and staff would need to be on high alert for hidden espionage threats.
The warning stems from the annual threat environment report released by NZ intelligence agencies: a plain-language assessment for the public on risks around violent extremism, foreign interference and espionage in New Zealand.
This year’s came out on August 21 and warned we are facing the toughest national security environment of recent times.
In a follow-up interview with the Herald that day, NZSIS director-general Andrew Hampton said the interference was making a shift down to the subnational level – local government.
The shift is happening because central Government has strengthened its defences against foreign state interference.
Local government is seen by interference actors as a softer target.
The NZSIS is sufficiently worried that it has produced and updated several booklets for council and central government staff on how to spot foreign state activity and espionage attempts in New Zealand and while travelling.
“You and your staff may be approached either directly by foreign intelligence officers or via ‘agents’ – intermediaries working knowingly or unknowingly to the direction and instruction of a foreign intelligence agency,” one of them reads.
“It’s unlikely to be obvious (at least initially) that you have been approached by a foreign state actor.
“They may also target your staff, family, colleagues, or constituents to collect information about you or gain access to you.”
Hampton told the Herald how a foreign state used an agent in New Zealand to attempt to bribe a council into excluding a religious group from attending a community event, but he wouldn’t give further details.
He also won’t discuss which countries are targeting us, beyond saying it’s a “small number”.
Hampton has made it a priority to personally address mayoral conferences and groups from local government at least every couple of months, including one last week.
“The practical advice I give is don’t assume that we are immune to national security threats. We are subject to online radicalisation, cyberattacks, foreign interference and espionage. Don’t assume we won’t be targeted. Be alert to threats,” he told the Herald.
The NZSIS has also sounded the alarm over sister city relationships, saying that while they can bring benefits, they have been exploited “frequently” by foreign states trying to build influence by deception, and councils must be vigilant.
“Sister city relationships can generate social and cultural opportunities for local councils. However, they are also a way that foreign interference actors have gained access to New Zealand officials under the guise of legitimate engagement,” reads the NZSIS threat environment report.
Radio New Zealand has reported 53 councils in this country have relationships with 154 sister cities.
Hampton told the Herald councils should be wary of accepting gifts from other cities, such as heavily subsidised travel and USB sticks that could carry spyware.
Some councils are now either reviewing their sister city set-ups or tightening internal security processes after intelligence advice.
Hamilton City Council told the Herald in a statement that its review, which started last year, will continue under its new council. It values the partnerships it has with its sister cities and is also in close contact with the NZSIS around security.
Foreign actors are aware of the power and importance of local government in New Zealand, Hampton told the Herald.
“Councils are attractive targets for foreign state interference and espionage because they have decision-making powers over critical national infrastructure. They own controlling stakes in New Zealand’s ports.
“They have authority over what can happen in public spaces: community events, protests.
“And they hold information on their constituents that could be useful to a foreign state.
“Unlike central government, local government is subject to less scrutiny from the media, they’re more porous organisations, more connected to their communities,” Hampton said.
Hampton would not be drawn on how voters can be sure they are electing people who are alert to the threats and not easily fooled.
Dr Bryce Edwards, director of The Integrity Institute and politics lecturer at Victoria University, said it’s tricky but there are a few things voters can evaluate.
“They need to think about integrity issues and the existence of any vested interests, and whether people standing for office are somehow beholden elsewhere.
“I think there is actually a growing scepticism in society about politicians and that’s healthy. People no longer take everything at face value, voters are less naive.
“Globally we’re less trusting of institutions, candidates, parties, we’re already suspicious of promises, ties to things behind the scenes. I’m optimistic that people can’t easily have the wool pulled.”
Edwards doesn’t think there are any particular signs voters can look for beyond that.
“Yes, you can ethnically profile and wonder what countries they have links to, but that can also be dangerous.”
He said voters should be on the lookout for high-spending candidates with a lot of advertising and a lot of billboards. “If it’s flashy it means they have a lot of resources – or someone else is funding it.
“There’s nothing wrong with that but I think that’s probably the easiest shortcut to find out how someone could be beholden to someone else.”
Ultimately, he asked, how much should voters be expected to investigate these things?
“It’s incumbent on the media and academics to be scrutinising councils. A lot of trips mayors and councillors go on are quite questionable and I think local government is under-scrutinised as part of the political system.
“Whether we can address it at election time is questionable,” he said.
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