- Definitions & explanations
- Getting started
- Writing papers
- All papers
- Appointment papers
- Checklist for departments
- Checklist for Ministers' offices
- Getting a Minister to sign a paper
- Good presentation
- Legislative papers
- Ministers' overseas travel papers
- Papers on major policy issues: format options
- Policy papers
- Regulation papers
- Security classifications
- Submitting papers to Cabinet & committees
- Writing tips
Security classifications
Background
The Official Information Act 1982 provides for information to be protected to the extent consistent with the public interest and the preservation of personal privacy. In 2000, Cabinet approved a revised system of security classifications for protecting official information. It is the responsibility of the originating government department or agency (or Minister's office) to determine the level of security classification applicable to a Cabinet submission to ensure the paper receives the appropriate level of protection. For more details, see Security Classification System: Application to Cabinet Documents [CO (08) 1].
The system includes a framework for information that requires protection in the public interest and to preserve personal privacy, with security classifications of "Sensitive" and "In Confidence". The system also provides the classifications of "Top Secret", "Secret" and "Confidential" to protect information concerned with national security, and adds a further security classification of "Restricted". The classifications and their applications are set out in the table below.
Note that classifications in themselves do not allow official information to be withheld under the Official Information Act 1982. All requests under the Official Information Act must be considered using the criteria in the Act regardless of the classification given to the document concerned.
Each classification has particular guidelines on how the information should be handled in terms of electronic and paper transmission, storage and disposal. More detailed guidance has been provided to departments. The minimum handling requirements for Cabinet documents that do not have a specific security classification is In Confidence.
Information requiring protection for public interest or personal privacy reasons
Sensitive: Compromise of information would be likely to damage the interests of the New Zealand government or endanger the safety of its citizens.
In Confidence: Compromise of information would be likely to prejudice the maintenance of law and order, impede the effective conduct of government in New Zealand or affect adversely the privacy of its citizens.
Information requiring protection for national security reasons
Top Secret: Compromise of information would damage national interests in an exceptionally grave manner.
Secret: Compromise of information would damage national interests in a serious manner.
Confidential: Compromise of information would damage national interests in a significant manner.
Restricted: Compromise of information would damage national interests in an adverse manner.
Endorsement markings
A range of endorsement markings may also be used with security classifications to describe the nature of the information being protected. Examples of endorsements often used for Cabinet papers are:
Budget: proposed or actual measures for the Budget prior to their announcement.
Commercial: sensitive commercial processes, negotiations or affairs.
Staff: reference to named or identifiable staff.
Legally privileged: legal advice or legal proceedings.
These endorsements, when combined with a security classification, result in the following examples:
Budget: Sensitive
Commercial: Sensitive
Commercial: In Confidence
Staff: In Confidence
Legally Privileged: In Confidence.
For further information see Security in the Government Sector, which is a publication issued by the Interdepartmental Committee on Security, which is available from http://www.security.govt.nz/sigs.
