Spark wanted to start using Huawei mobile tower equipment from 2020, and notified director-general of the (GCSB) Andrew Hampton about the proposal. But after carrying out an assessment, the GCSB identified major network security risks if the technology was to be implemented.
"We have a piece of legislation that says that we go through a pretty rigorous assessment independently via the GCSB, they'll look at concerns or any security issues. They have done so and have gone back to Spark... and said to them there are concerns, your option now is to mitigate those and that is the place in the process where we currently are", Ardern told The AM Show New Zealand.
However, Ardern declined to say the GCSB decision meant the end of Huawei's plans to help build the network, rather it was delayed while Spark looked for a solution.
"They [Huawei] are back in the running for this?" host Duncan Garner asked.
"They never were not, there was a very quick interpretation of what happened, but as I say, the legislation sets out a process. The GCSB have raised concerns, that is in the public domain, they have gone back to Spark with those concerns, now the ball is in Spark's court, that is literally where the process sits", Ardern added.
She supported the original decision on the network as the GCSB was the best organisation to make the judgement. "The GCSB is in the best place to make these calls, and this exists for good reason."
A spokesperson for Spark told Newshub the company was still in discussions with the GCSB. "We are working through what possible mitigations we might be able to provide to address the concerns raised by the GCSB and have not yet made any decision on whether or when we should submit a revised proposal to GCSB", the Spark spokesperson said.
