A former dipomat says the treatment of two ex-Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade managers in a report into the leaking of Cabinet papers was unfair and unjust.
The State Services Commission ordered an inquiry over leaks of information on the restructuring of MFAT to Phil Goff, the Labour Party's foreign affairs spokesperson.
The report singled out former senior MFAT staff Nigel Fyfe and Derek Leask, saying they opposed the restructure.
Both dispute the report's findings and are critical of how the investigation was conducted. Mr Fyfe said at no point did he leak any material and always acted within the State Sector Code of Conduct
Michelle Wanwimolruk, who worked for Mr Fyfe in a ministry division, describes both men as having great integrity throughout the change process and was shocked they were singled out for challenging what was happening.
"We were all working together, we were all talking, we were all strategising - that's what we do, we're strategic people.
"Do we live in a modern and accountable and transparent democracy or do we live in a state where dissenters will be hunted down and punished?"
Ms Wanwimolruk says the leaks occured because people saw something wrong.
