18701 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Transport

18701 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Transport: Further to Reply 17371 (2026), what was the nature of the administrative error that enabled a fraudulent conversion to be processed after the vulnerability had been closed on 31 October 2025; and what steps have been taken to ensure that the process changes implemented on that date cannot be bypassed through further administrative error?

Hon Chris Bishop: For context, overseas licence conversion applications are processed by Driver Licensing Agents that are contracted by NZTA, rather than by NZTA staff. These agents are required to apply NZTA’s business rules for licence conversions and to refer specified applications to NZTA where required. The administrative error involved an overseas licence being converted to a higher New Zealand licence class than NZTA rules allow for UAE licences and the interim requirement to refer applications to NZTA before processing not being followed. In response, NZTA reinforced its requirements around the control it had put in place to reduce the risk of recurrence. This included reminding Driver Licensing Agents of their contractual obligation to strictly apply the business rules set out in the NZTA Agent Portal.