Fraudster’s role in job redundancies queried
WELLINGTON: Convicted fraud Joanne Harrison was involved in a financial restructuring of the Ministry of Transport while she was fleecing it of more than $700,000, it has been revealed.
The details emerged at a select committee hearing in parliament on Thursday, and a Labour MP is calling for an investigation.
Sue Moroney said senior officials accepted the restructuring resulted in people who had tried to blow the whistle on Harrison losing their jobs.
‘‘I am calling for an investigation into the three staff made redundant in order to restore faith and confidence for public servants that they will be safe when they do the right thing by raising the alarm about fraudulent behaviour.’’
‘‘The ministry has argued that she was ‘very premeditated’ in her crimes but this doesn’t answer why, despite eight warnings, she was never stopped until the auditorgeneral’s office became involved.’’
Ms Moroney found it incredible Harrison, a senior manager, had a financial delegation of up to $100,000 but never went through a police or justice check.
‘‘If the ministry had bothered to do a police check they would have discovered that police in Victoria were in contact with New Zealand police about a fraud investigation they were conducting into Harrison.’’
Transport Minister Simon Bridges said Harrison was ‘‘an incredibly dishonest individual’’ who would have got away with what she did in any government department.
‘‘Improvements have been identified . . . I absolutely expect the ministry will implement those recommendations.’’
Last month, Harrison was jailed for three years and seven months.