Brigadier admits leaking Army file

By FRANCESCA MOLD

One of the Army's top officers has been suspended after he admitted leaking a controversial letter that revealed a campaign by colleagues to gain a larger slice of defence spending at the expense of the Air Force and Navy.

Brigadier Ian Marshall, who holds a high-ranking management position at defence headquarters in Wellington, confessed to Defence chief Air Marshal Carey Adamson on Monday night.

The 48-year-old, whose title is Assistant Chief Development, was suspended on full pay until a decision is made on his future in the next few days.

He is one of several officers who rank third in seniority in the Army.

Brigadier Marshall made his admission after being interviewed by Colin Carruthers, QC, who is investigating the leaking of the letter as part of a Government-commissioned inquiry due to be reported back by the end of the month.

It is understood he wanted to admit his actions before Air Marshal Adamson found out through the report.

Brigadier Marshall's behaviour breached Defence Orders, which stipulate that official information must not be released unless authorised.

He faces possible dismissal or a court martial.

He did not return calls to his Lower Hutt home last night.

A spokesman for Air Marshal Adamson said he could not comment further because he wanted to ensure "procedural fairness" in the case of Brigadier Marshall.

The leaked letter, written in 1997 by Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Gordon, encouraged the Army to open a "second front" to gain influence in its war with Defence Force superiors.

It urged officers to exploit the more vulnerable Air Force, appoint campaign supporters to senior positions, especially in the Ministry of Defence, and work on influencing Maori MPs and powerful select committees.

The letter was described by former National Party leader Jenny Shipley as "seditious" when she made it public last August.

Opposition MPs last night backed Brigadier Marshall's actions.

New Zealand First MP Ron Mark said he deserved a medal.

"He helped to uncover one of the most insidious plans to undermine the democratic process by the military in this country's history," said Mr Mark.

"And I can well understand the dilemma that honourable, conscientious holders of the Queen's commission must face when they are confronted with such acts."

Act's Rodney Hide said Brigadier Marshall had done the country a great service by exposing a covert campaign that had resulted in $700 million of taxpayers' money being spent on light armoured vehicles for the Army and the scrapping of the Air Force's combat wing.

"He's blown the whistle on what has been unacceptable behaviour that has flourished under a very weak minister," said Mr Hide.

"The Government would be better off dealing with these issues rather than trying to shoot the people who are blowing the whistle."

Defence Minister Mark Burton said Air Marshal Adamson had taken the action he deemed appropriate for an officer who had admitted publicly leaking a document.

He said the decision illustrated that he and the air marshal were serious when they promised to hold officers who had leaked documents accountable no matter what their rank.

Mr Burton would not comment in detail on suggestions that the suspension was at variance with action taken against Army chief Major-General Maurice Dodson when it was revealed that he had ordered the shredding of a 1997 public relations strategy in the lead-up to an inquiry.

General Dodson was publicly censured after it was found he acted unwisely and inappropriately but he held on to his job.

Mr Burton said the two issues were different.

Brigadier Marshall is seen as a member of the Army's "B" team, described in a Defence Force report last month as a faction of officers who leaked documents to expose and embarrass colleagues involved in the covert campaign to promote the Army, described in the Gordon letter.

The "B" team were angry at the politicisation of the Army and the rapid promotion of "A" team officers who led the secret campaign, including General Dodson.

Soldier in the gun

Brigadier Ian Marshall joined the Army in January 1972 and trained as an officer in Australia.

He was commissioned into the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery with the rank of Lieutenant, and as a Captain in 1978 was posted to Waiouru as an instructor at the School of Artillery.

He later became the commander of the Army training group at Waiouru.

He was promoted to become Brigadier in January 1999 when he took on the role of Assistant Chief Development at New Zealand Defence Force headquarters.

nzherald.co.nz/defence