NEC to lead major upgrade to New Zealand’s biometric capabilities

A massive upgrade of New Zealand’s biometric capabilities with an estimated cost of $35 million (1US$20.7M) did not require Cabinet approvals, according to officials from Immigration New Zealand (INZ). Radio New Zealand reports that the so-called Biometric Capability Upgrade (BCU), which will house and match travelers’ biometric information, is intended to improve efficiency and prevent fraud.

INZ risk and border general manager Michael Alp says “a variety of vendors are currently involved in the BCU. Once the new system goes live, NEC will be the lead vendor and Datacom will provide system support services. Argonaut is the lead vendor for SRTP, with Datacom providing system support services.” SRPT, a Secure Real Time Platform, allows the sharing of data with other countries, including the Migration 5 (M5) nations – Australia, the UK, the U.S. and Canada.

The system will offer improved photograph-matching to expedite identity verification for tourists, migrants and refugees. “When completed, the BCU will also provide additional capability in matching images and improve efficiency. This means that applications will be able to progress through the identity stage of processing faster,” says Alp.

INZ says the biometrics upgrade did not require Cabinet-level reports and approval since its “whole of life costs” came in at under the $35 million threshold. An increase in visa and immigration fees and levies will fund the project.

Addressing concerns about data privacy and lack of transparency and oversight in handling biometrics – particularly in the case of refugees – Alp says “there are rules on how the information is handled. Refugee protection officers use a discretionary power, under the Act, that requires claimants to provide biometric information for the purposes of determining refugee and protection status. A person may also decline to provide biometric information if they have a concern and provide an explanation for their refusal.”

Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster has recommended establishing a formal code of practice for biometrics.

The BCU is scheduled to go live in October, pending tests. While New Zealand hopes it will shift its biometrics program into a higher gear, uptake is an issue: a project that makes face biometrics available to public institutions and select private organizations has had zero uptake among government agencies since it was deployed in 2020.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometric matching  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  Datacom  |  government purchasing  |  NEC  |  NEC New Zealand  |  New Zealand