A recruitment specialist who previously interviewed a Defence Force official alleged to have lied on his CV says it is very common for proper checks not to be carried out.
Stephen Wilce resigned as the Defence Force chief scientist and head of the Defence Technology Agency following the allegations.
In those positions, which he had held for the past five years, he had the highest level of security clearance.
Recruitment specialist Stephen Saunders says he turned down Mr Wilce for a job in the mid-1990s after investigating his CV.
He says some recruitment consultants do not dig deeply enough into a person's background.
The Green Party says the incident shows background checks on Defence Force staff are woefully inadequate.
'Serious security questions raised'
The Labour Party says the case raises serious security questions.
Its defence spokesperson, Pete Hodgson, says Mr Wilce's top-level security clearance presumably gave him access to sensitive information.
Defence Minister Wayne Mapp says that there is no indication sensitive information was dealt with improperly.
He has, however, asked for a comprehensive report on the matter, given that Mr Wilce cleared employment and Security Intelligence Service (SIS) security checks and had top-level clearance.
Parliament's Defence Select Committee has also asked for a report from the Secretary of Defence and the Defence Force chief.
Prime Minister John Key - who is the Minister for the SIS - says he has talked to the SIS about the matter. But it was up to the Defence Force, he says, to confirm the validity of the CV and decide whether or not to appoint Mr Wilce.
Mr Key says he can't say there has been no security breach for the country or its allies.
Background to resignation
TV3's 60 Minutes programme on Wednesday night alleged that Mr Wilce made a string of false claims in his curriculum vitae.
The Chief of the Defence Force, Lieutenant-General Jerry Mateparae, confirmed on Thursday that the force was given anonymous information in July and that Mr Wilce was stood down last week after an initial investigation.
He has accepted Mr Wilce's resignation.
Lieutenant-General Mateparae says Mr Wilce was a good employee
but he does not want to discuss his employment because the matter is still under investigation.
