Police make call on fraudster’s pension

Ministry of Transport fraudster Joanne Harrison faces court action to crack open her Kiwisaver account to help repay some of the $725,000 she stole.

Harrison, 51, has about $110,000 invested in Kiwisaver. She is expected to argue it would be undue hardship for that to be forfeited, even if it was possible under Kiwisaver rules that strictly limit access to the money before retirement.

A legal argument at the High Court in Wellington on Friday was not completed because Justice Rebecca Ellis decided she needed more points covered.

Harrison, also known as Joanne Sharp, was sentenced to three years and seven months’ jail in February, after pleading guilty to taking more than $725,000 over about three years while she was a manager at the Ministry of Transport.

The Commissioner of Police has asked the court to make orders that bank accounts, a 1.1-hectare property near the Bay of Islands, a Rolex watch, and the Kiwisaver money should be forfeited.

Harrison’s lawyer, Nathan Bourke, said the Kiwisaver money would be all Harrison would have when she was released from prison.

Her Kiwisaver came from legitimate income in New Zealand, and from employment savings schemes overseas.

The situation was no different to bankrupts, whose Kiwisaver accounts could not be opened to repay their debts.

But Emma Light, for police, said Harrison still had years in which she could work and save for her retirement.

There was a real possibility that, Harrison could shift her Kiwisaver money to another savings scheme overseas, Light said.