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Former Immigration boss Mary Anne Thompson has accepted the findings of a report today that criticised her actions supporting family members from Kiribati getting New Zealand visas.
The State Services Commission report released this morning says Ms Thompson's actions were wrong and her boss, James Buwalda, who was
Labour Department chief executive at the time, did not do enough to fix problems.
Mr Buwalda said Ms Thompson's action had affected the reputation of Immigration Service staff and he regretted trusting her.
New Labour Department chief executive Christopher Blake said the behaviour described in the report was "completely unacceptable".
"The problems were caused at a leadership level," he said.
"This behaviour at the top meant that staff up to seven levels down the organisational hierarchy were put under inappropriate and unwelcome pressure."
The report by SSC chief legal adviser David Shanks goes into Ms Thompson's involvement with six immigration procedures helping family members in 2004 and 2005.
SSC commissioner Iain Rennie said it was clear the family members got preferential treatment. Ms Thompson's breached conflict of interest disclosure rules and breached the department's code of conduct by improperly helping family.
The serious concerns were raised, but Mr Buwalda and the department failed to act effectively.
In a statement Ms Thompson said she should have kept the chief executive informed.
"I accept that my actions at the time were unwise and I should have continued ongoing dialogue with my manager," she said.
She said she had openly discussed her intention to sponsor family members. However the report found that she did not continue to keep the chief executive up to date.
Ms Thompson said she signed her family's forms to show she had helped not to try exert influence over the staff that would process them.
"I am relieved to see the State Services Commission review completed, as this situation has had a profound effect on me and my family."
Ms Thompson said he had been a loyal public servant and had resigned because she thought it the right thing to do. She hoped that she would work in the public service again.
Mr Buwalda also issued a statement. He said he accepted the finding that he did not deal with the issues in a timely or effective fashion and that his dealings with Ms Thompson were too informal and lenient given her conduct.
"With the benefit of hindsight I should have undertaken a more thorough investigation of Ms Thompson's involvement in immigration matters regarding her family," he said.
Mr Buwalda said Ms Thompson's actions "cast a shadow over the integrity of the Immigration New Zealand staff.
"My trust in Ms Thompson and the assurances she provided to me were misplaced. I got it wrong and I regret that I didn't deal more effectively and formally with Ms Thompson."
- NZPA
