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The saga over former immigration head Mary-Anne Thompson could cause further strife for the Government after the Auditor-General said he was considering splitting his inquiry to allow the earlier release of aspects in which ministers are involved.
Kevin Brady told a select committee this week he was considering splitting a broad-ranging inquiry into the immigration service, and how issues around the granting of residency to relatives of Ms Thompson were handled.
He said it was possible aspects which included the role Government ministers played would be addressed first.
Mr Brady indicated ministers will undergo interviews under oath when they are questioned about what they knew of the matter and how they had responded.
Asked if he would try to corroborate what ministers said, he pointed out most interviews would be under oath but paperwork would be sought where possible.
The scope of the Auditor-General's report will cover at least three ministers, including former and current immigration ministers David Cunliffe and Clayton Cosgrove, and State Services Minister David Parker.
Mr Brady said all had offered their co-operation, adding it was "unusual" for the Auditor-General to undertake such interviews with ministers.
"There is a bunch of issues around what ministers should have been told and were told. We will certainly be looking at that."
He said the election would not be a factor in deciding on the timing of the release of the inquiry's findings because the Auditor-General's office was politically neutral.
Mr Cosgrove has consistently insisted he was not aware of the wider issues raised in the Oughton Report - including the residency applications approved outside normal policy - until it was made public in April.
He was first briefed on December 17 after the new department of labour head Chris Blake received an Official Information Act request on the matter.
However, yesterday, Mr Blake admitted he had not read the report when he first briefed Mr Cosgrove on the issue in December last year so was not aware himself of the wider issues raised by Mr Oughton.
Asked by National MP Lockwood Smith if he had properly advised Mr Cosgrove, Mr Blake said he had.
In Parliament yesterday, Mr Cosgrove also backed his chief executive, and said questions should instead be asked about the actions taken by Mr Blake's predecessors, including former chief executive James Buwalda, who ordered the investigation; and acting chief executive Graham Fortune, who dealt with the final report.
Mr Blake told the select committee he had not read it because he was still inducting himself into his new job at the time and it had not been highlighted as a priority matter.
He subsequently read the report and early this year asked Crown Law Office if it could be re-investigated, but was told it could not be unless new information was revealed.
He also then ordered a review of the Pacific Division.
Prime Minister Helen Clark had asked for the wide-ranging Auditor-General's inquiry in the wake of the release of the Oughton Report which investigated and cleared former immigration head Mary-Anne Thompson over help she gave to relatives to get residency in New Zealand.
The Oughton Report and the subsequent resignation of Ms Thompson has prompted four separate inquiries and investigations.
As well as the Auditor-General's inquiry, there is a police investigation into Ms Thompson's claims she held a doctorate when she applied for senior civil service jobs, a State Services Commission inquiry into the issues in the Oughton Report and the Dept of Labour review of the Pacific Division.
