Soldiers punished for bad behaviour

THREE months ago, during the Auckland August coronavirus cluster, the Government announced a further 500 Defence Force personnel would be deployed to managed isolation and quarantine facilities.

The move was meant to bolster security and credibility after scandals involving civilian security guards at New Zealand’s network of isolation hotels, including falling asleep on the job and leaking guests’ details on Snapchat.

However, a handful of troops has been disciplined and pulled from duty for misconduct at the hotels.

The Defence Force has upheld three instances of alleged misconduct or impropriety in managed isolation hotels since October, according to details obtained by Sunday News under the Official Information Act.

On November 9 at the Novotel Ellerslie isolation hotel in

Auckland, a soldier passed a returnee a note including the service member’s personal phone number.

The soldier was immediately removed from duty at the hotel and returned to the unit.

They were charged under the Armed Forces Discipline Act for an unspecified offence.

At the Ibis isolation hotel in

Rotorua on October 26, a

Defence Force staffer showed an ‘‘explicit image’’ on their phone to a civilian security guard.

They were removed from duty and made to undertake corrective training as part of Operation Respect’s sexual ethics and respectful relationships module.

However, they were not charged under the Armed Forces Discipline Act.

The Defence Force set up Operation Respect in 2016, aimed at reducing sexual harassment and harmful sexual behaviour after research showed ‘‘persistent sexism’’.

Also in Rotorua, at the Rydges isolation hotel, a Defence Force staff member was accused of ‘‘anti-social behaviour towards civilian security guards’’ on October 22.

That allegation was upheld and the individual was removed from duty.

They faced no charges under the Armed Forces Discipline Act, but the service member was deemed unsuitable for further participation in Operation Protect – the Defence Force’s contribution to the government’s Covid-19 response.

Allegations of an assault at the Sudima Hotel in August, and a managed isolation facility manager threatening a returnee and treating them unfairly, were dismissed by the Defence Force.