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The head of the Serious Fraud Office defended the agency's integrity today over suggestions it may be perceived to chase "celebrity" prosecutions.
SFO director Grant Liddell provided a briefing to Parliament's law and order select committee on the office's work and got a general pat on the back from the committee.
The Labour government last year moved to wind up the SFO and merge its investigation capabilities into the police department, but National has committed to keeping it going since coming into power.
The SFO was caught up in controversy last year when NZ First's Ron Mark received a letter attacking his role in approving legislation about the merger with police.
It was discovered the anonymous letter came in an envelope carrying the stamped post-office box number of the SFO's Auckland office.
The issue irked NZ First leader Winston Peters, who was being investigated by the office over party donations at the time and suggested it might be a personal attack on the party.
Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove asked Mr Liddell today what measures it had in place to stop the possibility of staff "venting their spleen" over an MP's democratic right to vote on issues facing agencies.
Mr Liddell said the existence of the letter came to light after a decision had already been made to investigate Mr Peters.
The letter and its appropriateness had been the subject of "frequent communication" between him and staff and it didn't sit well with the level of professionalism expected.
Mr Liddell said he was "still endeavouring to ascertain who the person responsible for that was".
"The matter is still under investigation, we haven't got a solution yet."
Labour MP Rick Barker asked about a perception that with high profile cases involving former MPs such as Mr Peters , Tuariki Delamere and Donna Awatere Huata, the SFO was strong on going after "celebrities".
"Suggestions like that amount to an assertion that we act without integrity, and if that were the case then I would resign," Mr Liddell replied.
" ... I believe the cases are dealt with on their merits and the decisions on which to take cases on are tested both internally and externally."
Ms Awatere-Huata's case involved fraud amounting to $80,000 - well under the SFO's rule-of-thumb $500,000-plus threshold for taking on cases.
However, assistant director Gib Beattie said the case was referred to the SFO by police as there were complexities.
"I can ensure the committee that the office went through all the checks and balances that it does on every case - regardless who the suspects are."
Mr Liddell said the office, which has about 34 staff and a $5 million annual budget, had 43 investigations and 26 prosecutions on the go.
Eight of the investigations related to the affairs of failed finance companies.
- NZPA
