Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has reiterated there are no Russian spies in New Zealand to expel but has admitted there are "intelligence gatherers" here and says she's investigating whether any Russians who travel here should have visa restrictions put on them.
Dozens of countries have expelled Russian diplomats in response to the recent nerve agent attack on a former Russian military intelligence officer and his daughter in Britain.
But New Zealand has no plans to follow suit.
"As I said yesterday, I have received advice from the NZSIS, - they of course will seek views from our partners in the advice that they provide me - that we do not have any undeclared intelligence officers in New Zealand," Ms Ardern told reporters at Parliament this afternoon.
"That does not mean New Zealand is not subject of intelligence gathering. I must make that distinction. Just because we have not identified individuals of that nature here does not mean that we are not the subject of intelligence gathering," she added.
The Prime Minister says there are intelligence gatherers here but they're not the same category as those expelled from other Russian embassies.
"We like our partners, like Australia who discovered two or are aware of two undeclared intelligence officers and expelled them, if we had them here we would too," Ms Ardern said.
She said there are other steps the Government can take.
"I've asked MFAT for advice on whether or not there are further measures we should be taking, for instance around the issuing of visas for particular people of russian origin who travel to New Zealand. I am awaiting that advice."
National has said the Government's handling of the matter has been naive and that there are surely people here that could be expelled.
But Ms Ardern said she would expect the opposition would do the same thing she has which is listen to the advice of the SIS on whether we have any undeclared intelligence officers here.
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