Immigration official sacked for trying to get sexual favours

11.45am

An Immigration Service official has been sacked after trying to get sexual favours off a young woman in return for helping her get residency in New Zealand.

Immigration Service general manager Andrew Lockhart said today an independent investigation was carried out after the woman complained to the service about the man's behaviour.

The man was dismissed in February, six months after the complaint.

The case had never been referred to police but was treated as an employment matter as it was a "sexual harassment" case, Mr Lockhart told National Radio.

Mr Lockhart said the service investigated after "the complainant brought the matter to us to deal with as an employment matter".

During the investigation, it was discovered the man requested sexual favours in return for help with residency applications from two women on separate occasions.

Mr Lockhart said the official denied the allegations, including during an interview with him near the end of the service's investigation.

However, the man was dismissed on the "balance of probabilities".

Mr Lockhart defended the service's decision not to take the matter to police, saying a different level of evidence was required when pursuing a criminal conviction than dealing with such complaints as an employment matter.

The service sought legal advice, he said.

Two complaints were received about the man who asked for sexual favours from women seeking residency and these complaints had been taken seriously and followed up, Mr Lockhart said.

The matter had been dealt with "appropriately" and treated sensitively.

"...a full and thorough investigation was carried out," Mr Lockhart said.

The Immigration Service would take matters to police where there was clear evidence of corruption, he said.

Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel had been informed about the case.

It was first raised by ACT MP Rodney Hide, who plans to ask questions about it in Parliament this afternoon.

- NZPA