Ron Mark
Role at the time: Former Minister of Defence and New Zealand First candidate for Wairarapa, posting on Facebook
Response to this claim
Ron Mark said the circumstances of Tony Davies's resignation pointed to a possible failure of Defence Force processes, according to RNZ.
“This whole pattern of events points to wood rot and incompetence at the highest levels not just within the Military hierarchy but also in the Public Service Commission. Which is why I have said I want the military appointments to be pulled out from under the auspices of the PSC. For it is they who have failed the Minister here.”
Mark says the Defence Minister expressed confidence in the Chief of Defence Force on the morning of 23 October and accepted his resignation that afternoon. He says the events point to incompetence in the military hierarchy and the Public Service Commission, repeats that he wants military appointments taken out of the Commission's hands, and says the Commission and successive Senior Advisory Boards failed the Minister. The post links the Herald's report on Bernard Isherwood's criticism of NZDF leadership.
Why we used this label
Relative to the handling of integrity information in Davies's appointment and resignation, Mark directly criticizes the military leadership and the Public Service Commission and says the Commission failed the Minister. He states a conclusion rather than raising a question or setting a condition, so the label is condemns rather than mixed or conditional.