Executive Summary

New Zealand in August delivered its first spy conviction. It sentenced a soldier for attempting to pass sensitive New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) information—including base documents, access codes, and directories—to an undercover officer posing as a foreign agent. The conviction sets a legal precedent and marks the country’s first successful enforcement of espionage laws since the Cold War.

Although the case shows insider-threat vulnerabilities, it also gives Five Eyes partners confidence that New Zealand has the will and capability to prosecute counterintelligence-related cases. NZIS assesses that primarily China, but also Russia and Iran—not lone wolf insiders—remain the most serious espionage threats, suggesting that Wellington will focus on defense against state-affiliated operations.