Wednesday 24 May 2017 01:19 PM
SSC to probe Transport Ministry's treatment of whistleblowers
By Paul McBeth
May 24 (BusinessDesk) - The State Services Commission will investigate claims public servants lost their jobs after
raising concerns about the actions of fraudster Joanne Harrison at the Ministry of Transport.
Commissioner Peter Hughes today said his office has appointed veteran civil servant Sandi Beatie to investigate
separately to a Ministry of Transport review. Beatie will specifically look at whether any current or past employers
were disadvantaged by raising concerns over Harrison's behaviour, and if so how that occurred, whether there should be a
remedy, and to make any recommendations on protecting public sector whistleblowers.
"Public servants must be able to raise concerns without fear of punishment or reprisal," Hughes said. "If public
servants raised genuine concerns through proper channels and were then disadvantaged in any way because of it, that
would be completely unacceptable and something I view very seriously."
“However, given the public interest in this matter and the importance of Public Servants being able to raise concerns
without fear, this process needs to have the independence of the State Services Commission and the powers of
investigation under the State Sector Act,” said Hughes.
Harrison was jailed earlier this year over the $726,000 fraud, which only came to light in 2016. The offending happened
when newly appointed Auditor-General Martin Matthews was in charge of the ministry and has led to calls from some
politicians for him to step down.
Hughes today said the Controller and Auditor-General are outside the State Services Commissioner’s jurisdiction and were
the responsibility of the Speaker of the House, David Carter.
The Public Service Association welcomed the investigation, saying it will cooperate fully.
(BusinessDesk)
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