Key reserved on Defence CV blunder

NZDF

Stephen Wilce

JOHN SELKIRK/Fairfax Media

CV CHECK: Mr Key said he understood that Wilce's hiring had been cleared by Momentum, a PR company run by former National Party president Michelle Boag.

KENT BLECHYNDEN/The Dominion Post

COMMITTEE APPEARANCE: Defence chief Jerry Mateparae gives evidence during a select committee at Parliament yesterday.

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Prime Minister John Key is declining to say whether a top Defence Department chief who exaggerated a CV might have compromised the security around intelligence secrets New Zealand had and shared with allies.

"I cannot confirm it one way or the other," he said in reaction to news that Defence Technology Agency head Stephen Wilce had resigned after an inquiry prompted by an anonymous tip.

Security and job-vetting procedures for senior public servants have again been called into question after the resignation of the top defence scientist amid allegations that he wildly exaggerated his CV.

Defence chief Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae yesterday said that the affair raised serious security and credibility issues.

Defence began investigating after allegations in July. Mr Wilce, who headed the agency for five years and had top security clearance, was stood down a week ago and subsequently resigned.

His resignation follows a scandal involving former Immigration Service chief Mary Anne Thompson, who admitted falsifying her CV with claims that she had a doctorate from the London School of Economics.

Mr Key said he understood that Wilce's hiring had been cleared by Momentum, a PR company run by former National Party president Michelle Boag.

"We would have concerns if that was the case," Mr Key said.

The breakdown had been serious and would be investigated.

Mr Key said the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) did not have responsibility for checking CVs, this belong to the employing authority.

Given the level of security around Wilce, Mr Key said he would have hoped problems were picked up earlier.

"SIS play a role, but it is not to check CVs, and it is not their responsibility.

"It is not as if SIS don't question applications because they can and they do, whether they are doing their job accurately is something we need to look at."

He said it was unlikely they would want to check the CVs of all 36,000 public servants, but it could be considered for those with high level security clearances.

Green Party defence spokesman Keith Locke said it was serious that Mr Wilce's employment references had not been checked.

"It brings into question the checking systems in the military. It is particularly serious in this case because this is a guy with the highest security clearance working with other nations."

Mr Wilce's resignation was revealed after a TV3 60 Minutes report claiming that he had made extravagant claims about his background, including that he had a distinguished combat career.

Mr Wilce also told a reporter posing as a recruitment consultant that he was a member of the British Olympic bobsleigh team in the 1980s. The programme alleged that many of his claims were false.

General Mateparae said it was inappropriate for him to comment on how Mr Wilce had obtained his security clearances and what was contained in his CV.

"This is an employment matter and a legal matter. The matter is one where I need to say there is a serious issue here, we are investigating and doing something about it."

However, he defended Mr Wilce's work, saying: "In the time he has worked for the Defence Force he has delivered some very good results."

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