Appendix 1: Timeline of events
Inquiry into New Zealand Defence Force payments to officers seconded to the United Nations.
| Year | Month | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | February | The UN changes its arrangements for paying staff seconded from member states. |
| 2000 | March | NZDF is considering seconding an officer to the UN. |
| April | The Military AdviserA based in New York sends NZDF copies of documents that set out the UN's requirements for payments to, and subsidies for, seconded staff. | |
| May | The Chief of Defence ForceA approves, in principle, arrangements for paying accommodation assistance to officers seconded to the UN. | |
| October | Officer 1 is offered a position with the UN. | |
| 2001 | January | Officer 1 is seconded to the UN. |
| May | Personnel branch circulates draft policy on conditions of service and entitlements for officers seconded to the UN. The draft policy does not comply with the UN's requirements. | |
| June | The General Manager Defence Force Services provides advice in a Minute to the Assistant Chief PersonnelA noting that NZDF can provide accommodation assistance to seconded officers, but that officers have to declare that assistance to the UN. He refers to the UN's requirements and encourages a further review of the proposed conditions of service and entitlements. | |
| November | Defence Force Orders amended to include conditions of service and entitlements for officers seconded to the UN. The applicable Defence Force Order does not comply with the UN's requirements. | |
| 2002 | November | The Director of Services strongly suggests that the Military AdviserB not inform the UN that Officer 1 is receiving accommodation assistance from NZDF. This email is copied to the Assistant Chief PersonnelB. |
| 2003 | February | Officer 2 is seconded to the UN. |
| July | Officer 1's UN secondment ends. | |
| 2004 | Mid | NZDF staff begin work on amending the applicable Defence Force Order so that it complies with the UN's requirements. |
| September | Officer 3 is told that he will not receive NZDF accommodation assistance if seconded to the UN. | |
| November | First drafts of Personnel branch's revised Defence Force Order circulated. Do not include any payment of accommodation assistance to seconded officers. | |
| 2005 | June | Officer 3 is seconded to the UN. Personnel branch drafts Minute to go to the Chief of Defence ForceB recommending that the applicable Defence Force Order be amended. Identifies seconded officers not declaring their accommodation assistance to the UN, and that the Defence Force Order does not comply with the UN's requirements. Recommends continuation of payment of accommodation assistance, but with a requirement that seconded officers declare that assistance to the UN. |
| November | Personnel branch drafts Minute to go to the Chief of Defence ForceB recommending that the existing Defence Force Order be amended to extend entitlements for seconded officers with dependants. All references to non-compliance by seconded officers or by the Defence Force Order with the UN's requirements removed. | |
| December | Defence Force Order is amended, but continues to breach the UN's requirements. | |
| 2006 | March | Officer 2's UN secondment ends. |
| October | Officer 4 is seconded to the UN. | |
| 2007 | July | NZDF told, through diplomatic channels, that the UN is aware that Officer 4 was receiving undeclared accommodation assistance. |
| August | UN seeks an explanation from Officer 4 about why he has not declared his accommodation assistance. Vice Chief of Defence Force sends Military Policeman to New York to investigate Officer 4. |
|
| September | Military Police reports that three other NZDF officers may have been signing false declarations to the UN, and that receiving accommodation assistance in accordance with the Defence Force Order and not declaring that to the UN contravened the UN Charter and UN Staff Regulations and Rules. | |
| October | Officer 4 returns to New Zealand. | |
| 2008 | June | Defence Force Order is revoked on 16 June. NZDF ceases paying accommodation assistance to Officer 3. Court martial held for Officer 4 on 29 and 30 June. |
| July | NZDF convenes a Court of Inquiry on 1 July. Court reports on 17 July and finds that four NZDF officers signed UN declarations that they knew to be false. Officer 3's UN secondment ends on 22 July. |
|
| August | Minister of Defence asks the Auditor-General to review the Court's findings. | |
| 2009 | March | Minister of Defence asks the Auditor-General to investigate the consistency of treatment of the four seconded officers. |
| 2010 | July | Auditor-General's inquiry report is published. |