That attempt at secrecy was stymied after a Press Gallery journalist spotted Patel in the Beehive basement after his meeting with Foreign Minister Winston Peters on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 30.
Patel met Winston Peters in the Beehive before the trip was officially disclosed. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Officials initially refused to explain Patel’s presence, but on the afternoon of Thursday, July 31, the US embassy revealed the FBI was opening a “standalone office” in Wellington.
The SIS briefing note – dated June 25 – described Patel as a person with “significant influence” within the US administration as a direct Trump-appointee.
“This visit provides an opportunity for New Zealand to continue to enhance the bilateral relationship with the United States by demonstrating our commitment and contributions to our intelligence partnership with the FBI, as well as wider Five Eyes constructs.
“The NZIC [Intelligence Community] will have the opportunity to provide detailed classified briefings to Director Patel in this regard.”
The documents, released under the Official Information Act, show Patel dined with NZ spy bosses Andrew Hampton and Andrew Clark at a US embassy dinner on Wednesday night.
On Thursday morning, the three men attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new office, with Collins and other SIS and GCSB officials.
That afternoon, Patel joined a high-level roundtable behind closed doors with representatives from the SIS, GCSB, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Customs and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
“Topics discussed include regional security, transnational organised crime, counter-terrorism, cyber security and espionage.”
Judith Collins approved $10,000 of public funds for Patel’s three-day visit. Photo / Adam Pearse
Later that evening, Collins hosted an official government dinner for Patel with up to 14 guests including Hampton, Clark and Police Commissioner Richard Chambers.
An early draft programme also included two unspecified cultural activities. Patel departed New Zealand on Friday.
It had earlier been reported that Patel met with Collins and Police Minister Mark Mitchell, as well as Peters, during his visit.
In a fresh statement to RNZ, Collins stressed that the FBI’s role in New Zealand had not changed – only its reporting line.
“The FBI has had a presence in the US Embassy in Wellington since 2017,” she said.
“[This change] means FBI Wellington now reports directly to Washington DC rather than through Canberra.”
Collins said all intelligence sharing was conducted within the law and human rights obligations, stressing the FBI could not ask local agencies to do anything it could not legally do itself.
“New Zealand derives significant benefit from our relationship with the FBI,” Collins said.
“Their presence in this country helps keep New Zealanders safe.”
Both Labour and the Greens expressed surprise at the FBI announcement at the time, demanding an explanation.
In his own comments while in New Zealand, Patel said the dedicated attaché office would help counter the Chinese Communist Party’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Both Collins and Peters downplayed those suggestions, saying the move was more focused on combating transnational crime.
Patel, appointed FBI director earlier this year, is a long-time Trump loyalist and former defence department chief of staff. Trump has hailed him as a “brilliant lawyer, investigator and ‘America First’ fighter”.
– RNZ