Wellington: Foreign powers are trying to hide political donations and influence expat communities in New Zealand, the country's top spies say.

The head of New Zealand's Security Intelligence Service, Rebecca Kitteridge, on Thursday told a parliamentary committee the agency had concerns about cases where overseas state actors had made attempts at political interference, including by covering up party donations.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The country’s security agencies have concerns about cases where overseas state actors had made attempts at political interference.Credit:AP

"There are some states have got that kind of objective, who have been interested in making donations without it being clear where the donations came from," she said, declining to give specifics.

A number of countries were also trying to get influence over their diasporas in New Zealand, Kitteridge said.

"NZSIS is aware of efforts by foreign states to covertly monitor or obtain influence over expatriate communities in New Zealand," she said.

"Shared culture, language or familiar connections can facilitate this. Ongoing family ties in the foreign state can be leveraged to suppress unwelcome political or religious activity."

While Kitteridge would not name any specific countries, experts in recent years have raised concerns about attempts by China to influence New Zealand through a variety of methods.

In a testimony last year to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, former CIA China expert Peter Mattis accused New Zealand politicians of not doing enough about Chinese political influence.

While Australia had looked at new laws to combat external influence, New Zealand politicians on both the left and right had denied there was a problem, he said.

New Zealand's opposition National Party and government-leading Labour Party have both largely played down talk of outside political interference, saying vigilance was required but the country's donation and electoral system were up to scratch.

The country's Serious Fraud Office is currently looking into allegations a donation to the National Party by businessman Yikun Zhang – who reportedly served five years as a member of the Communist Party's Consultative Conference in Hainan Province – was split up to avoid being reported under electoral laws.

There is no suggestion of any impropriety on Zhang's part or that Kitteridge was referring to the case.

AAP

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