Want to see inside the dome?

September 2019 is the 30^th Anniversary of the GCSB’s satellite communications interception station at Waihopai in Marlborough.

The large white radomes in the Marlborough countryside will be familiar from news coverage, but few people have ever been inside.

To help mark 30 years at Waihopai the GCSB has, for the first time ever, published a video tour inside one of the domes.

Director-General of the GCSB Andrew Hampton takes viewers through the airlock doors to see the 18 metre satellite dish inside.  He explains details of the dish and the dome that covers it, what the dish is used for and the strong controls on GCSB’s intelligence gathering activity.

“GCSB exists to protect and enhance New Zealand’s national security and well-being,” Mr Hampton said.

“GCSB provides intelligence in accordance with priorities that are set by the Government, which is then used to inform decision-making and policy,” he said.

“All the intelligence that GCSB collects must be in line with the strict rules in the Intelligence and Security Act 2017, collected under a legal warrant, and is subject to robust and independent oversight from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security.” 

“The nature of GCSB’s role means we often can’t make details of our work public because that would make us less effective in our role,” said Mr Hampton.  “We are continuing to make more information about our work public where we can.”

“We work on behalf of all New Zealanders so I’m really pleased to be able to open the door to the dome at Waihopai and show people around.”

ENDS

Notes for reporters

The Waihopai station has two radomes. Both contain identical 18 metre satellite dishes.

The video was filmed and produced by the New Zealand Defence Force videography unit. 

An HD copy of the video is available for news media by emailing media@nzic.govt.nz