10. Transport Ministry—Police Checks for General Manager AppointmentsSUE MORONEY (Labour) to the Minister of TransportTransport Ministry—Police Checks for General Manager Appointments10. SUE MORONEY (Labour) to the Minister of Transport: Will he ensure that police checks are conducted as part of a standard employment process before people are appointed to general manager roles in the Ministry of Transport?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Transport): This is an operational matter for the Ministry of Transport. However I am informed that since 2015 the ministry has conducted Ministry of Justice criminal record checks on new staff. All new staff are also required to declare previous convictions and conflicts of interest.Sue Moroney: Is he aware that the New Zealand Police knew Joanne Harrison was being investigated for fraud in Australia in January 2011 and that a police check on either her initial employment or her promotion in 2013 would have uncovered that fact and prevented $725000 being stolen from the New Zealand taxpayer?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: As I say these are operational matters for the Ministry of Transport. That said I have sought assurances from the ministry and its chief executive about these matters. What I can say very clearly is that they are being taken very seriously by the ministry. There have now been two independent reviews in this area and what we do know in relation to this absolutely regrettable episode for the Ministry of Transport is that even had the criminal checks taken place in this case they would not have picked up anything because that person had permanent name suppression.Sue Moroney: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was about whether he was aware—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! No the Minister very definitely addressed it.Sue Moroney: If he will not ensure—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! Can we just lead straight into the supplementary question.Sue Moroney: If he will not order police checks will he order an investigation to ensure that staff who raised concerns about Joanne Harrison's financial transactions and were subsequently made redundant in a restructuring influenced by Joanne Harrison were treated fairly by his ministry?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I will repeat that this is a matter for the ministry that it is taking seriously. Be very clear that there are now criminal checks done by the ministry. They are Ministry of Justice checks; they also include a requirement for the declaration of previous convictions and also conflicts of interest. In relation to the other matter the member raises of course what is now very clear from public interviews from the select committee work that the member has been a part of and from other documentary evidence as well is that the person in question here was not involved in the decision-making process in the restructure. [Interruption] Mr SPEAKER: Order! I will just have the supplementary question.Sue Moroney: Given the Minister learned of the fraud in April 2016 why did he keep it hidden from the Prime Minister for 3 months and not fess up until the day he knew I was going public with the story in July 2016?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: With the greatest respect to the member it is a ludicrous line of questioning that she is taking. This is a situation where I was advised by the then chief executive. I made sure a very clear line of questioning was being taken with the utmost seriousness and I was assured it was. At that point in time it was very quickly becoming obviously a serious criminal investigation. It was not for me to go out to the world and in any way prejudge or play with what was a very serious process indeed.Sue Moroney: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It was a very straight question about—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Again the question has been addressed. Does the member have a further—[Interruption] Order! The question has been addressed.Sue Moroney: How did a person convicted of fraud in New Zealand also under investigation for fraud in Australia get employed by his ministry in a senior management role and then get to have 12 different compliance issues raised with her on eight occasions over the 3 years of her offending before her fraud was finally discovered by Audit New Zealand? Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Ultimately the answer to that question is very simple: she was an incredibly manipulative dishonest person who has now gone to jail for some time. That is not to say that there were not very significant lessons that the ministry could learn and I am satisfied has learnt from that. That is why there have been two independent reviews on this and many recommendations all of which have been or are being implemented.