Turner: Ministry's integrity now under threat
The fact that a $1.9 million fraud was carried out throughout a process of four external audits of the Ministry of
Social Development's systems is a matter of huge concern, United Future MP Judy Turner said today.
"The unfortunate reality is that this damages public confidence in the ministry's ability to detect benefit fraud and
use tax dollars wisely, despite the fact that the vast majority of its staff are scrupulously honest public servants,"
Mrs Turner, United Future's social services spokeswoman, said.
"But there have been some 43 other staff with their hands in the till at the ministry over the past three years, taking
a total of $730,000, and now we have $1.9 million stolen over a 28-month period.
"This really casts a serious cloud over the organisation and it needs to go back to square one to work this out," Mrs
Turner said.