Belief is no qualification for immigration head

Former Immigration Service head Mary Anne Thompson told police she believed she had a doctorate from the London School of Economics.

IN A deposition hearing in Wellington District Court, Thompson is defending two charges of using a document with intent to defraud and one charge of dishonestly attempting to use a document without claims of right.

Crown solicitor Grant Burston told the court that while Thompson did study a Master of Philosophy with the LSE, she was not awarded a PhD.

Last year Thomson resigned from the senior position at the Labour Department when accused of unfairly, and with conflict of interest, helping family members gain residency in New Zealand.

More details from NZ press, here and here.