Fire head left after cash row

Former Fire Service national commander Ken Harper resigned after an internal investigation found he spent "a significant amount" of public money on family travel and private international phone calls, the Fire Service has revealed.

Mr Harper, who left the Fire Service and New Zealand at the end of April, was required to repay the money, believed to be about $5000.

Details of the investigation into the spending were given under the Official Information Act after three months of negotiations between the ombudsman, the privacy commissioner, the Fire Service and Mr Harper.

Mr Harper started in the job in January 1999. He was previously the deputy chief fire officer in Northern Ireland.

In January this year, he announced he was leaving on April 30 to travel through southern Africa with his son. Acting Fire Service chief executive Alison Timms said then that she received his resignation "with great regret."

In fact, Mrs Timms led an investigation into Mr Harper's credit card bills, expense claims and travel, which ended with his resignation.

The internal investigation arose after New Zealand First leader Winston Peters alleged Mr Harper had visited Queenstown seven times over 18 months at times coinciding with visits by friends and family from overseas.

The Fire Service, in response to an Official Information Act request last February, said yesterday that Mr Peters' allegations were found to have no substance, but a review of Mr Harper's credit card, expense claim forms and travel documents "indicated a significant amount of apparently inappropriate" spending.

"Three areas of Mr Harper's expenditure between April 1999 and September 2000 were called into question, namely spousal travel, family travel and personal international telephone calls made by Mr Harper."

The investigation found he inappropriately claimed for travel and accommodation for his wife on six occasions, his daughter and son-in-law on one occasion and his son on another.

"He was also found to have made numerous personal international telephone calls to family members in Ireland over a 17-month period on the Fire Service account."

Mr Harper was asked to repay the money and received a formal notice of censure from Mrs Timms.

The Fire Service would not say how much money was involved. However, the figure is believed to be about $5000.

The Fire Service Commission's last annual report indicated Mr Harper's salary was between $160,000 and $170,000.

The Fire Service said Mr Harper told Mrs Timms he believed he was working within written and verbal arrangements he made with the former chief executive who hired him, Jean Martin.

He considered Mrs Timms' findings were unjustified and that the investigation had been selective, but he decided not to contest the outcome on the basis Mrs Timms accepted there was no dishonest intent on his part.

Fire Service Commission chairwoman Dame Margaret Bazley said the matter had been treated very seriously. She confirmed Mr Harper's resignation was directly linked to the investigation.

"He paid the money back and resigned," Dame Margaret said. "His resignation was part of an agreement. He decided to resign when we got to the end of the investigation."

Mrs Timms has also left the Fire Service.

Her position was merged with Mr Harper's and filled by former senior Queensland firefighter Mike Hall, who took over in May.

- NZPA