Army PR man called before inquiry

The man accused in Parliament yesterday of having boasted about the accessing of an MP's military files has been interviewed by those investigating the issue.

New Zealand First MP Ron Mark, a former army major, discovered his files had been accessed by army chief Major General Maurice Dodson's staff, prompting an inquiry into why that happened.

NZ First leader Winston Peters said in Parliament yesterday army public relations officer Major Kendall Langston "was boasting around this city that he had, they had, the information and would be able to justify it".

Maj Langston told NZPA this morning he was interviewed yesterday afternoon.

"It was just after that (Mr Peters' statement)," he said.

However, he had "no idea" whether that prompted the interview and would not discuss the matter further.

Mr Mark and Maj Gen Dodson were also interviewed by the inquiry team yesterday. A report on the matter is expected next week.

Mr Peters, speaking under parliamentary privilege yesterday, said Mr Mark's files were accessed on three separate occasions between August 1999 and February 2 this year.

"Mr Dodson, through military spokespeople, has given first one explanation and then, 24 hours later, another explanation," he said.

"His first explanation was that he was checking to see whether his and Ron Mark's paths had crossed as military men. The second explanation was that he was checking to find his rank."

Mr Peters said access to files was rigidly controlled by military policy and the Privacy Act.

"I say this man is lying. I say his explanations don't stack up. I say that he has had malice aforethought when he went for those files.

"I say he should be sacked because his purpose clearly was, in my view, to blackmail an MP. It was an attempt to muzzle an MP."

Mr Peters linked the accessing of the files with questions Mr Mark had raised. Mr Mark had asked questions about a military training exercise and three days later his files were accessed, he said.

On another occasion, he had called for an investigation into the Military Studies Institute at Massey University and two days later his files were accessed again.

The inquiry, ordered by Defence Minister Mark Burton, is under the authority of the State Services Commission and is part of a wider investigation into the leaking of defence force information.

It is being carried out by Wellington lawyer Douglas White QC and former secretary of foreign affairs Graham Ansell.