FBI base in NZ: Judith Collins knew 78 days before PM, Luxon briefed 6 days before FBI director arrived

FBI director Kash Patel speaks after announcing a new office based in Wellington. Photo / US Embassy

SIS Minister Judith Collins knew the FBI was establishing a base in New Zealand 78 days before the Prime Minister was told.

Christopher Luxon found out just six days before FBI director Kash Patel landed in the country.

According to answers to written parliamentary questions, Collins says she was informed the base was being established on May 7.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell was informed two months later, on July 7, and Foreign Minister Winston Peters was told on July 8.

Christopher Luxon was briefed on July 24 – six days before Patel landed.

Both Collins and Luxon were asked why Collins didn’t pass along the information earlier, as well as whether informing the PM was general practice.

They declined to comment.

Patel’s arrival was initially met with little fanfare.

He is the most senior member of the US administration to visit New Zealand since Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.

He was spotted in the Beehive basement after Newstalk ZB noticed a private jet registered to the Department of Justice at Wellington Airport.

His visit was initially unexplained, until the US Embassy announced the opening of a new FBI attache the following day.

SIS Minister Judith Collins found out about the new FBI base on May 7 – but Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wasn't told until July 24. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Collins and Police Minister Mark Mitchell joined Patel at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the US Embassy on July 31, a short walk away from the Beehive.

The pair, as well as Foreign Minister Winston Peters, also met with him.

Although FBI agents have been stationed in New Zealand for several years, until last month the agency had no permanent presence in the country.

The Wellington position was originally established in 2017 as a sub-office of the Legat based in Australia.

Green Party foreign affairs spokesman Teanau Tuino says the delay is concerning.

“It looks like Chris Luxon isn’t in charge or control of the FBI setting up shop on our soil.

“It was a long time between when [Collins] knew what was happening, and then of course when the minister responsible for Police knew what was happening.”

He says it’s also surprising Trade Minister Todd McClay didn’t find out until July 31 – the same day the new office was revealed to the public.

“The very next day after the announcement of an FBI office in Wellington, we got pinged with 15% tariffs.

“He looked completely surprised. Judith Collins had rolled out the red carpet to the FBI and the next thing you know, that didn’t amount to anything.”

Cartels or China?

While in the country, Patel remarked that countering China’s increasing influence was part of the decision to establish a dedicated office.

“Some of the most important global issues of our times are the ones that New Zealand and America work on together,” he said.

“Countering the [Chinese Communist Party] in the Indo-Pacific region, countering the narcotics trade, working against cyber intrusions and ransomware operations.”

Our Government made no mention of China in its statements – and Peters told media it wasn’t raised in his meeting with Patel.

Collins said she didn’t expect a response from China: “This is our country, our sovereign right to do what we do.”

The Chinese Embassy later did respond, saying Patel’s comments stemmed from a “cold war mentality”.

Tuiono says the Government isn’t clear on why the FBI chose to establish a base here.

“On one hand, the FBI are saying they’re here to counter China, and the Government’s saying that’s not the case.

“They’re completely muddled in terms of what the FBI is doing here.”

The US Embassy said the new office will work with local police to address shared priority areas through joint investigations, information sharing and capacity-building.

It will work to investigate and disrupt a wide range of threats and criminal activities including terrorism, cyber crime and fraud, organised crime and money laundering, child exploitation and foreign intelligence threats.

It will have responsibility for partnerships in New Zealand, Antarctica, Samoa, Niue, Cook Islands and Tonga.

Ethan Griffiths is a political reporter with Newstalk ZB, based in the Parliamentary Press Gallery. He joined NZME as a print journalist in 2020, previously working as an Open Justice reporter in the Bay of Plenty and Wellington, and as a general reporter in Whanganui.