Inquiry ordered over SAS guns for hire

JONATHAN MARSHALL

Business leaders are paying $500 a head for secret sessions with the SAS.

A Sunday Star-Times investigation has found executives paid hundreds of dollars each for SAS firearms training and to sip cocktails with Victoria Cross war hero Corporal Willie Apiata.

Labour has branded the sessions "comical", saying "our elite force should not be charging businessmen hundreds of dollars to play war games".

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said he was concerned the businessmen had access to and were taught to use firearms during their session

Dr Mapp told media the exercise was not unusual - business groups have visited military in the past - but he was concerned about the use of firearms in the October training.

"They weren't playing war games, they (SAS) were really giving an indication of their values, their ethos and then some of their professional skills.

"I think it's not unreasonable for people to see the kind of skills that they've got.".

Dr Mapp said the training came about because of a personal relationship with someone in the SAS and was aimed at making money for the SAS Trust.

Such events were not a money spinner, Dr Mapp said.

Many international military groups have similar trusts to fund educational scholarships, help those wounded during training and to cover other expenses not paid for by the government.

Dr Mapp said it was appropriate the SAS would raise money for its trust in this way and operational security had not been compromised.

However, he asked for an inquiry into the events and wanted guidelines set out for future ones, he said.

Prime Minister John Key called the sessions "unwise". Speaking at the World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro this afternoon, Mr Key told reporters he understood the session was a "very rare" occurrence. There did not appear to be any protocols around it, however.

"I think that it is a good idea if there are some processes or protocols put around any kind of engagement the SAS may have with community groups or business groups," Mr Key said.

"That's, as I understand it, not in place and I've been speaking to the Minister of Defence and I've asked him to work with the chief of defence forces to ensure that those protocols are put in place."

A Defence spokesman said the "interaction" was just a discussion around "enhancement of leadership, culture and team dynamics... the SAS culture, ethos and values".

Star-Times inquiries revealed that staff from Auckland-based private equity company Direct Capital and several of its partner businesses were allowed into the Papakura Military Camp last month for a day of hands-on training that concluded with a cocktail party.

The bill was understood to be $35,000 – $500 a head for the 70 people instructed to meet at Auckland's Botanical Gardens for a "conference", but who were instead whisked out to SAS national headquarters.

Direct Capital invests in companies including Rodd & Gunn, Bayleys Real Estate, New Zealand Pharmaceuticals, King Salmon, Triton Hearing Clinics and Go Bus, but the company wouldn't say which businesses sent staff.

At the camp, participants were put in a darkened room and SAS agents in night-vision equipment removed selected "terrorists" from the group without anyone hearing them do it. Participants were also given access to SAS firearms and allowed to shoot at human cut-outs.

Labour's defence spokesman Pete Hodgson was surprised SAS agents were being distracted from their core functions.

"It's comical that our elite force could be reduced to charging grown-up boys $500 to play war games," he said. "I can't imagine it would have made the SAS any fitter or better combat officers. Being distracted by things of this ilk is not appropriate."

Direct Capital managing director Ross George was reluctant to talk, saying the visit to Papakura was only "to use a room, then we returned to Auckland".

He was surprised the Star-Times was aware firearms featured. "Guns? I don't think I've ever talked about what we do at our conferences. It is private. You are on the wrong track with this, I'm not in a position to discuss it. I will just let it go, I've got to shoot."

But others were more willing to talk, despite admitting they had been advised by the SAS to be "circumspect".

King Salmon chief executive Grant Rosewarne told the Star-Times he had a "fantastic time" but had been told to stay quiet on the details.

"The SAS stressed for us to be circumspect about what goes out to the media. They said they didn't want to create an environment where people thought they could have a relationship with the SAS," said Rosewarne, who flew from Nelson for the conference.

"They are concerned about what people might learn about their deployments."

He said Direct Capital and its affiliates were given access, "which never really happens", because the army considered the businesspeople key players in export markets.

"This is something the SAS did for Direct Capital because they are important to the economy in trying to lift exports, but they said they didn't want it to come back on them with any negativity."

Rosewarne said the day ended with a cocktail party where Apiata made a surprise appearance. The businessman talked to the war hero, and said he was highly impressed.

Defence said proceeds would go to the NZSAS Trust, established in 2004 to support families of agents and their families. "Any donation is voluntary and is a matter between the company and the trust," a statement said.

The statement did not refer to firearms or anti-terrorism training, but said Defence was "honoured" to have provided Direct Capital the opportunity.

"Like some other special forces around the world, the SAS has aligned itself with top-performing New Zealand organisations to share leadership skills with high-calibre and high-performing New Zealanders who strive for excellence."

Access to the SAS is rare, but does happen. In 1999, the All Blacks took part in a four-day army fitness programme and the Kiwis had similar training before the 1995 Rugby League World Cup. The women's hockey team did an army boot camp before the 2008 Olympics.

Green Party defence spokesman Keith Locke said the SAS "lark" had damaged the image of the Defence Force as non-partisan and equally respectful of all New Zealanders.

"Giving well-heeled people special access jars with most people's image of a down-to-earth unit dedicated to helping people in trouble," Locke said.

JOHN KEY'S OPINION

Mr Key today said he understood there were weapons discharged at a firing range.

"While it is very unusual for a member of the public to discharge a military weapon, it's not unheard of," he said.

He did not know what kind of weapons were involved.

"I think you would want to be extremely cautious if that was to be the case ... I think that's one of things they will have to go and ask themselves whether that's appropriate, I suspect the answer is that it's unwise to do so, but I'll leave them to work their way through it."

The firing of weapons ought to be "one of the areas of discussion" in a defence force review of the incident.

"Ultimately, the CDF [chief of defence force] would have to make a recommendation to the Minister of Defence, and I don't want to jump in front of that. [But] I think it's unlikely to be recommended," Mr Key said.

Asked if he would not like to see it happen again, Mr Key said: "I'm not going to stop them doing it again. I think it's something that would be extremely rare, but the SAS do engage with groups in the community for a variety of different reasons."

-With The Press, NZPA

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