Report finds spooks too far under the radar

Spies must be less secretive if they are to win back public trust, a new report says.

Leaks from US security whistleblowers Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning have led to "adverse commentary" and media attention is "mostly negative", a review commissioned by the State Services Commission says.

Overseas agencies in Australia and Britain are "much more transparent and active in the media".

It recommends the Government Communications Security Bureau and the Security Intelligence Service should talk publicly about threat detection and security risks.

The full report is classified "top secret". But the agencies appear to be heeding advice - a source said they requested that the unclassified summary of the report be released.

"Public knowledge and experience of the security and intelligence sector in New Zealand is very low," the report says. "This is not surprising given the secret nature of the work and the sector's deliberately low profile over many years . . . a much more transparent approach could be possible in other areas . . . greater pro-activity would have potentially high gains."

The performance improvement framework (PIF) review into the Intelligence Community - made up of GCSB, SIS, Intelligence Coordination Group of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the National Assessments Bureau - was carried out in late 2013 and published yesterday.

It follows the damning Kitteridge report on the GCSB last year.

The review makes references to funding problems, saying a "high tempo operational focus" leads to employees "pitching in to make the most of scare resources".

Much of its electronic equipment and hardware have a "short life-cycle". An asset stocktake will get under way this year.

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Report finds spooks too far under the radar