The Serious Fraud Office is putting more resources into preparing Christchurch for the risk of fraud as it shifts its focus from the failed finance companies, where its mammoth Hanover Finance case is one of the last still on its books.
Police Minister Anne Tolley told Parliament's law and order committee the SFO is looking beyond its heavy caseload involving failed lenders and towards the threat of fraud when billions of dollars is poured into Christchurch to rebuild the country's second-biggest city.
"They have been down there doing some education, working with some of the groups down there, talking about the risks, making sure there's good processes in place," Tolley said. "There's a lot of money that's going to be spent there over the next few years."
The white-collar crime investigator has been rebuilding its staff, developing closer ties with other regulatory bodies, and improving its relationships with private sector partners, Tolley said.
Chief executive Adam Feeley told the committee it has cleared almost all of the "30-odd" finance company investigations it has been focusing on, with Hanover and NZF the last two.
