The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has referred evidence of potential serious staff misconduct to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the ministry says.
MPI said in a statement it has also referred the matter to the State Services Commission (SSC) and it is part of the SSC's inquiry into the use of external security consultants including Thompson & Clark.
However, MPI said the conduct of concern did not involve the contracting of Thompson & Clark by MPI.
It said information currently pointed to matters occurring prior to October 2013, and the staff involved no longer work for MPI.
I guess whoever was behaving unprofessionally around TCIL was also behaving dubiously in other areas. Hopefully the SFO will get to the bottom of it and prosecute any criminal behaviour. Meanwhile, it really makes you wonder how much corruption in government departments simply slides under the radar, because nobody bothers to look.