Other soldiers could face suspension, says minister

11.45 am

The Defence Minister says other soldiers may follow the senior army officer suspended from duty after admitting leaking a letter outlining a strategy for the army to get more funding.

Defence Force Chief Air Marshal Carey Adamson yesterday announced Brigadier Ian Marshall had been suspended after admitting he leaked the letter from Lieutenant Colonel (now Colonel) Ian Gordon.

He could now face a court martial and dismissal from the defence force.

The Minister, Mark Burton said today wider issues surrounding the alleged campaign were still being considered by the Judge Advocate General Peter Trapski, whose report on the matter is expected to be completed at the end of this month.

He warned there would be "further and wider issues" to address as a consequence of that report, including the campaign, the series of leaks and "those who may have been involved in them".

"I want to emphasis it will be without fear or favour," Mr Burton told National Radio.

"I don't care what side of particular debates the responsible persons are. There is an obligation to handle matters and material in an appropriate manner."

The Protected Disclosures Act 2000 provided and prescribed the process which must be followed if someone had concerns about situations in their workplace.

Brig Marshall did not appear to be a genuine whistleblower, Mr Burton said.

"It doesn't seem to be (the case) on the surface but he must be afforded proper process," he said.

"Whistleblowing is about following due process and those who have done that, if they exist, certainly would not, in any way, face negative consequences.

"Those who have not followed due process, for whatever reason, who have mishandled and failed in their duty and their responsibility, must expect to face the consequences. And they will."

The leak of the letter, and other army and navy documents, is being investigated by Colin Carruthers QC, supervised by Judge Trapski.

That inquiry is one of a number under way or completed into the activities of the defence forces and what the auditor-general has described as "dysfunctional" relationships between the different branches.

The Gordon letter, written to fellow officers, suggested the army should start what National's defence spokesman and former defence minister Max Bradford described as a "covert campaign" to influence people so it could gain a bigger share of the defence budget. It has been dismissed as a private letter between officers, despite being written on an army letterhead.

Following the Gordon letter's release, another document written by Wellington public relations company Communications Trumps outlining a similar strategy for the army was also made public.

An earlier report to Air Marshal Adamson found evidence army chief Major General Maurice Dodson ordered the strategy and other sensitive documents to be shredded.

That investigation was launched in September, apparently after Maj Gen Dodson's then deputy, Brigadier Lou Gardiner, refused to carry out an order to destroy documents.

Another recent review by Douglas White QC and Graham Ansell into defence force behaviour found there had been numerous leaks of defence force material.

The reviewers said it was difficult to escape the conclusion the leaks were originally designed to advance the interests of the army, against the interests of the other services.

Another report is also being prepared by former state services commissioner Don Hunn on wider governance issues within the defence forces.

- NZPA

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