The State Service Commission will investigate how Stephen Wilce was able to be hired as the Defence Force's top scientist without his credentials being properly checked and how he was able to obtain top level security clearance.Prime Minister John Key, wh
The State Service Commission will investigate how Stephen Wilce was able to be hired as the Defence Force's top scientist without his credentials being properly checked and how he was able to obtain top level security clearance.
Prime Minister John Key, who is also the Minister in Charge of the NZ Security Intelligence Service, told Breakfast on TV One that over that weekend he had spoken to State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie who would investigate.
"We are actually undertaking a review to see what's taking place and what's going on."
TV3's 60 Minutes last week revealed Mr Wilce, head of the Defence Technology Agency (DTA) and New Zealand's chief defence scientist for the past five years, made allegedly extravagant claims about his background, including that he had a distinguished combat career.
Mr Wilce's job meant he held the highest levels of security clearance. The DTA provides important advice to the military on technology and scientific matters, such as electronic surveillance and defence systems for navy ships, as well as classified advice to the Government on threats to air force aircraft in Afghanistan.
Mr Key said the Defence Force took advice from the recruitment company Momentum Consulting when it hired Mr Wilce.
"So we need to look at what the recruitment company did, we need to look at what Defence did and there's the third part of that which is (the) SIS provide intelligence for security backgrounds and we need to look at what they're doing and whether there's any gaps here."
Mr Key said he was not happy about what had happened.
"Which is why over the weekend I asked Iain Rennie ... to conduct an investigation looking firstly at the SIS -- so specifically at this issue -- but at the wider issue ... The bigger worry is actually that this guy had access to top level security and therefore top level information."
There had been other cases where people misrepresented themselves --former Immigration Service boss Mary Anne Thompson was fined $10,000 and ordered to do community service for falsifying her CV by claiming she had a doctorate. She had also worked with the Maori Affairs Ministry and with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Momentum is also hiring for the new Auckland super city council.
Mr Key said it was not up to him to criticise or defend the company.
"It could be for instance there's one individual recruitment agent who is at fault here or maybe not, I don't know."
Momentum Consulting managing director Bede Ashby last week told NZPA the company was looking into the issue and would work openly with the Defence Force, which had been in touch.
"We are very confident in the quality of our recruitment systems and processes," Mr Ashby told NZPA. "The matter is subject to an inquiry by the defence force, which Momentum will be co-operating fully with."
Opposition parties say the case raises security concerns about security.
