Don't get your hopes up on that one guys - I reached out to the Minister at the time, Hon Gerry Brownlee, and just received a response from his successor Hon Meka Whaitiri.
Thank you for your email dated 2 October 2017 to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon Gerry Brownlee, about whether any plans have been made on obtaining reciprocity from the United States Department of Homeland Security for New Zealand citizens travelling to the United States to access trusted traveller programs such as the Global Entry Program. This matter falls under my portfolio responsibilities as Minister of Customs.
I appreciate your interest in this matter and I welcome feedback from engaged travellers and industry stakeholders.
The New Zealand Customs Service (Customs) has advised that it has looked into New Zealand citizens travelling to the United States to access the Global Entry Program. Due to the small pool of potential applicants in New Zealand who would qualify, joining the Program was considered too costly.
However, Customs will continue to discuss the Program with other agencies and the United States, in the context of other projects already underway designed to improve the traveller experience between New Zealand and the United States.
Unfortunately this basically kills any hope that NZ is getting reciprocal GE benefits after offering streamlined clearance for US-NZ arrivals. However, "I welcome feedback from engaged travellers and industry stakeholders" would read to me like a groundswell of support from our friendly frequent NZ-US flyers might give them some incentive to look at improving the clearance process for NZ-US arrivals.
Also, interesting they talk about "joining the Program was considered too costly" - what the heck is USCBP charging that makes it too costly for a government to even consider joining? Maybe we should be pressuring the US to make the program more palatable for foreign governments to sign up to as well!