$2m budget for Afghanistan inquiry
The New Zealand Defence Force has set a $2 million budget for the Special Inquiry Office (SIO) it established as a result of the Government’s decision to investigate the Special Air Service’s Afghanistan raid Operation Burnham.
Attorney-General David Parker gave the inquiry the green light in April, after examining claims in Hit & Run, a book by investigative journalists Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson.
The book detailed a SAS raid in August 2010 in Tirgiran Valley. The authors said six civilians – including a 3-year-old girl – were killed and 15 others injured, with the events later being covered up by the military.
NZDF maintains the book contains errors. Former Defence Force chief Lieutenant General Tim Keating said that Operation Burnham was ‘‘lawfully carried out, with clear rules of engagement’’.
The inquiry, by Supreme Court Judge Sir Terence Arnold and former prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer, is expected to take a year.
Details on the investigation’s budget are included in documents released under the Official Information Act.
The Defence Force has covered up the name of the person who requested the information but Radio New Zealand reported yesterday that Hager had made an Official Information Act (OIA) application.
It announced the formation of the SIO in May, under Commodore Matthew Williams, with Paul Radich, QC, as legal counsel.
In its OIA response, dated last Monday, the Defence Force said nine fulltime and one part-time staff member were working in the SIO.
It was expected the SIO would have 11 staff, supported by other personnel as needed. Two fulltime surge support personnel on two-month contracts were also helping with research.
As external counsel to the NZDF for the Operation Burnham inquiry, Radich’s hourly rate was $375, excluding GST.
The budget of $2m for the SIO was for the 2018/19 fiscal year, and was indicative of the extra cost to the Defence Force for participating in and supporting the inquiry, NZDF chief of staff Commodore Ross Smith said.
The salaries of military personnel – including surge support personnel – were not included in the budget, as those staff were seconded from their services, where their positions were already budgeted for. The budget also included costs such as civilian salaries, legal fees for Radich and Crown Law, travel, and any other expenses. The Defence Force said it had substantial work to do to co-ordinate its participation.