A former top diplomat has criticised the Government over its handling of an investigation into who leaked documents about the restructuring of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2012.
Neil Walter was MFAT's chief executive from 1999 until 2002 and says the investigation by Paula Rebstock has caused deep unease among many past and present public servants.
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and State Services Minister Jonathan Coleman have refused to respond to the criticism.
Mr Walter has written in Wellington's Dominion-Post newspaper that the report made unfair comments about former diplomats Nigel Fyfe and Derek Leask.
His views are apparently shared by many other senior past and present public servants.
Mr Walter specifically criticised Mr McCully and State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie for the way they have handled the report.
