12 Jul 2015

Air force investigates handling of complaints

5:16 pm on 12 July 2015

The air force is investigating the way it deals with sexual offending complaints.

NZ Airforce Orion arrives back in Whenuapai after weeks spent searching for the missing Malaysian airliner

A NZ Air Force Orion Photo: RNZ / Kate Newton

The victims' advocate Louise Nicholas said it followed a court case against a former Air Force employee who was jailed for sexual offending involving his daughter and other young girls.

Mrs Nicholas, who is supporting the women at the independent inquiry, said the air force refused to listen to the victims when they tried to seek help and they had to pursue their attacker through the courts.

"The women need to have the answers to many questions as to why didn't the air force help them back in those times when they did ask for help and just to put it out there that don't ever believe that what happened to them when they were children isn't happening today because it is."

Mrs Nicholas said the women wanted the inquiry to stop what happened to them happening to others.

Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal, Mike Yardley has confirmed the inquiry will examine the handling of sexual offending complaints by the air force.

Mr Yardley said it would be conducted by a Queen's Counsel and he hoped to finalise the person's appointment shortly.