Auditors spotlight decision on number of Army LAVs

Auditors were unable to say how many light armed vehicles (LAVs) the Defence Force needed because no quantity justification had been provided, a parliamentary committee was told yesterday.

Last week the office of the auditor-general released its second report into the controversial $650 million purchase of 105 light armoured vehicles.

It said they were delivered on budget, but that there were problems with crewing the vehicles and the budget for spare parts. It also said the Army might have been able to make do with fewer LAVs.

MPs quizzed officials about the report yesterday, with Labour MP Tim Barnett wondering on what grounds it could say fewer than 105 LAVs could have been adequate.

Assistant auditor general Craig Neil recommended the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee look into the issue and said auditors had made a conscious decision to highlight it.

"There were just assertions really, and there was no hardcore audit evidence to support those assertions. In terms of being able to substantiate that 105 LAVs are now required through hardcore evidence, we are unable to do that.

"The committee should ask the defence forces: Why 105? Why not 150 or 50 or 80. We did take a conscious decision [to highlight that point]."

Auditors were not criticising policy, but looking at how the decision to buy 105 LAVs was implemented.

The LAVs were bought from Canada for $650 million.

- NZPA