NZDF staff face drug charges
Several New Zealand Defence Force staff are facing prosecution after a major internal investigation involving the supply and use of drugs.
The year-long investigation is understood to involve staff from the air force, army and navy from across the country. It is understood staff have been interviewed and evidence has been gathered by military police across numerous locations.
On February 18, two air force staff members at the O¯ hakea Air Force Base will be the first to appear at a court martial as part of this investigation. They face charges of supply and consumption of drugs.
It is understood further courts martial relating to the investigation are in the pipeline. However, the investigation has been shrouded in secrecy and an NZDF spokesman says it is covered by a blanket suppression order. Stuff understands details from at least one court martial have been suppressed, but not the wider investigation.
The spokesman said this order prevented the NZDF commenting, and as investigations were ongoing it could not comment on specifics. He said NZDF intended to comment when the suppression was no longer in place, and that it intended to inform the public of the charges before suppression was imposed.
‘‘The New Zealand Defence Force has made it plain that the misuse of substances is incompatible with service,’’ he said. ‘‘Not only are there harmful effects on individuals, but there are health and safety implications for those involved.’’
The spokesman said Defence Health had been working with the NZ Drug Foundation for two years on more effective ways to reduce the harm from substance misuse.
NZDF said all members of the armed forces are subject to drug testing, and are tested on various occasions. This includes random tests and tests on specific occasions – including before staff are enlisted, deployed, and before or after accidents or incidents.
During the past three years, 77 NZDF staff have tested positive for drugs. However, it is unclear how many personnel were tested.
A court martial is the military equivalent of a civilian court, which tries cases where a breach of military discipline or other offences may have occurred. Information released under the Official Information Act in 2017 showed almost
100 courts martial had been held in the past 17 years, with the cost to taxpayers stretching well past $1 million. Not included in the NZDF costs was the remuneration of District Court judges who may preside over a court martial.
In October last year, NZDF developed a drug and alcohol harm minimisation framework to tackle substance misuse. At the time, NZDF chief Air Marshal Kevin Short said a greater emphasis would be placed on taking a stance against substance abuse and the consequences.
In 2017, it was revealed that soldiers bought and consumed a range of drugs, were high, and attempted to hide their offending in
2016 when on active mission in Fiji. Details released under the Official Information Act revealed so many pills were bought by the men that a senior military official was concerned they were planning to smuggle them back to New Zealand.
An internal investigation found two of the soldiers had hidden them in a leather bible case, which they placed in a cyclone-damaged house. Others stashed some pills in the light above their bed and in the rubble of a ruined church.
They were only caught when commanding officers noticed their abnormal behaviour – including one attacking a table with a machete.
Courts martial held for drugs are not uncommon in Manawatu¯ , with a range of military personnel going through the process during the past few years. Eight soldiers were taken into custody during Labour Weekend in Palmerston North, 2015, after they were found acting strangely in the city centre and were suspected of being under the influence of drugs.