NZ in talks about what data it will share with partners about offenders, including New Zealanders

Earlier this year, the immigration minister dismissed concerns that Operation Migration 5 was “a very large intelligence-gathering and data-sharing operation” carried out “under a cloak of secrecy”.
Photo: RNZ

Migration 5 partners are discussing what information about criminals they could exchange, including whether their own citizens’ data could be shared.

The Migration 5 (M5) countries, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United States and Great Britain, reflect membership of the Five Eyes intelligence group and work together on border policy, data sharing and technology.

They have met four times since March to discuss the work of the Criminal Database Verification Group (CDC).

Immigration Associate Undersecretary Catriona Robinson said the extent of the information to be shared was still to be decided.

He said there had been no formal briefing to Immigration Minister Erica Stanford about the group’s progress.

M5 currently shares details of migrants’ travel and visa records, but not its own citizens’ data.

A document released under the Official Information Act showed their first face-to-face meeting was held this year, in Wellington.

“The purpose of the CDC meeting was to discuss a proposal for M5 countries to consult their partners’ national criminal databases for visa applications and other immigration purposes, such as applications for refugee status,” said the Acting General of Immigration, Risk and Borders. manager Joanne Hacking.

“The proposal was commissioned by the Ministry of the Five Countries in the M5 to explore.”

The Conciliation of the Five Countries is formed by the ministers of security, interior affairs and immigration of the countries of the five eyes.

New Zealand took over the chairmanship of M5 last month.