PM: NZ at 'low threat' but 'not immune'

Key said he wasn't concerned about his own safety. Photo / Getty Images

Prime Minister John Key says a small number of Kiwis are under 24-hour surveillance for a potential terrorist threat in the country.

Speaking in Hobsonville this morning, Mr Key said there were about 40 New Zealanders who the Government was concerned with the "type of material" consumed.

He couldn't say who was monitored but in order to be warranted, "your actions had to warrant" it.

However, he said he wasn't concerned about his own safety.

"Overall, New Zealand is a much lower threat but we are not immune to it," he said.

Mr Key said the Government was constantly monitoring the people on the "list".

"It only takes one person to do something crazy," he said.

"You can do an awful lot of damage with a weapon very quickly."

He said the Government weren't confident yet to prosecute the Kiwis under surveillance.

"We are not confident enough in terms of what we see that we were absolutely sure that we could get them locked up for long enough."

He said they could possibly be in "some breach of the law" but the charge may be "not enough to what we think".

Mr Key also mentioned the Ireland newspaper Irish Examiner's tribute to the late All Blacks great Jonah Lomu.

"I think it's a really beautiful thing," he said.

He said the silver fern logo was an internationally recognisable symbol.

"That's my perspective on why I think the silver fern is a more appropriate representation in the flag form of New Zealand than the current flag that we've got," he said.

He said he wasn't involved with the High Court's order for his biographer and Herald reporter John Roughan releasing his transcripts and conversations.

But he wasn't concerned on what the Court might find.