Fraudster led harassment probe
Calls to scrap findings of DoC inquiry after convicted manager’s role comes to light
Aconvicted fraudster apparently headed an inquiry into workplace harassment just months before she was arrested.
There are now calls for findings from the harassment inquiry at the Department of Conservation (DoC) to be scrapped.
It is the latest development in the case of former Ministry of Transport senior manager Joanne Harrison, who was jailed in February for defrauding the ministry of $750,000.
In a speech on Sunday, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters revealed that Harrison was put in charge of an inquiry into harassment within DoC’s information systems and management department.
Peters told the Herald yesterday that Harrison completed a draft report in March 2016, just before her offending came to light. She was arrested in August on fraud charges.
Peters said her involvement in the inquiry “taints every finding, recommendation and outcome DoC took”.
“This has a cascade of employment law implications for the staff involved in a report dated March 2016 — only weeks before the truth came out about her crimes.”
A DoC spokeswoman was unable to immediately respond to questions yesterday.
The inquiry’s findings and outcomes are not known.
Peters said the latest revelation about Harrison raised further questions about her former boss Martin Matthews’ judgment. Matthews led the ministry at the time of the fraud and has since been appointed Auditor-General.
Political parties which approved his appointment say they should have known the full details of his handling of the fraud case when they were considering him for the role.
Labour leader Andrew Little has asked the Speaker to review his appointment, and Peters says he should stand down while a full investigation is carried out.
In a further development yesterday, State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes said he was considering a new investigation into the ministry’s handling of the case.
Former ministry staff last week
You would have to make sure that they got a fair deal and weren’t punished for bringing things to the notice of management. Bill English, Prime Minister
said they were forced out of their jobs after raising concerns about Harrison’s behaviour. As a result, newly appointed Secretary of Transport Peter Mersi set up an independent process to look into their concerns.
Hughes said he had received an email from former staff members raising concerns with this process.
“I am treating this as a request for SSC to investigate the concerns they have raised. I take their concerns seriously and I am currently considering this request.”
He said public servants who had concerns needed to raise them so they could be properly addressed.
Radio New Zealand reported that two former staff members at the ministry believed they were targeted in a ministry restructuring after they pointed out fake invoices and dubious travel.
Prime Minister Bill English said yesterday the State Services Commissioner and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet had already investigated the ministry’s handling of the case and had not found any wrongdoing.
“[However] if there was any new information, such as from these whistleblowers, they have to take that into account. . . . You would have to make sure that they got a fair deal and weren’t punished for bringing things to the notice of management.”