Ex Waikato health boss Malcolm Stamp could be extradited to face nepotism charges in Australia

Former Waikato DHB chief executive Malcolm Stamp could be extradited from England to face nepotism charges in Australia. Photo / YouTube

A former Waikato health boss wanted in Australia over nepotism allegations could be extradited from his native England, the ABC has reported.

Malcolm Stamp, who was chief executive at Waikato District Health Board for less than a year in 2006 and 2007, has been found at his home in Norfolk, north east of London.

Stamp, who had to repay his relocation expenses when he resigned from Waikato DHB after just eight months in the job, has been wanted by the Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission since March 2018.

But Stamp told the Eastern Daily Press when the newspaper tracked him down at his north Norfolk village address last week that no charges had ever been put to him and Australian authorities had never approached him.

The commission issued an arrest warrant for Stamp over a nepotism case involving his daughter Katy Stamp and an $80,000 salary.

In June last year public health servant Scott Andrew McMullen was handed a suspended jail term for his part in the deceit, but Stamp could only face justice if he returned to Australia.

McMullen had been working in public health for almost 20 years when Stamp became his new boss at Queensland Health in 2014.

McMullen dishonestly helped recruit Stamp's daughter to an unnecessary role in design and media services for $80,000 a year, when many staff were being laid off because of major cuts to the public health service.

Stamp was described during that court case has having a "bombastic personality", and being an arrogant man who exerted power on those below him, including McMullen.

Katy Stamp was employed and able to stay in Australia on a working visa because of the job.

Australian taxpayers forked out $26,000 before the nepotism was uncovered after a three-year investigation at Metro North Hospital and Health Service.

When the conduct was revealed, Stamp put pressure on McMullen to "make it disappear".

A co-defendant in the case is to be sentenced in May.

Last week the ABC in Australia reported that Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) appeared to be moving to extradite Stamp.

The CCC declined to comment but told the North Norfolk News the warrant was still active.

On Friday, Stamp told the newspaper from his home in Roughton that he had not heard a word from Australian authorities, who began investigating him after he was suspended and left Australia in 2014.

Stamp's recruitment to Waikato DHB cost $70,000 and took six months in 2006 but he resigned to take up a job back in the United Kingdom just eight months later, leaving the board in the lurch.

A "payback clause" in Stamp's contract required him to refund costs associated with his relocation to New Zealand.

Now 67, Stamp received a CBE for his services to healthcare in 2002 in the UK.

While in Hamilton his daughter had a job at Waikato Business Publications. No allegation of misconduct was made against Katy Stamp during the Australian investigation.