KEY POINTS:
Boxer Sean Sullivan, wanted by authorities over a housing scam, is missing, five months after a warrant for his arrest was issued, Parliament was told yesterday.
Sullivan sublet a state house in Mangere while owning a holiday house in Russell in the Bay of Islands.
His case embarrassed Housing New Zealand last year after it was revealed a complaint against him lay on a corporation desk for 10 months.
Sullivan ended his state house tenancy during the corporation's investigation.
It referred the case to the Crown Solicitor to pursue a prosecution against him, with a debt of $32,650 owing.
Seven charges of using a document for pecuniary advantage were laid against him, but the Crown was unable to serve a summons.
National Party housing spokesman Phil Heatley, who originally brought the issue to light, said Sullivan had gone missing.
"Given that it took the corporation 16 months to act, why should we be surprised that he has now done a runner?" the MP said in Parliament.
He questioned Housing Minister Maryan Street over the case, but she said she could not confirm his revelation.
"I can say that a review of investigation processes was carried out last year and better processes are used now and the majority of referrals to the investigations unit relate to undeclared partners or undeclared income. Less than 1 per cent relate to subletting and fraud is not tolerated."
Ms Street repeated that fraud was not tolerated when Mr Heatley asked: "Is there a reason someone so well known can disappear owing $32,600 due to being given two years' head-start through corporation bungling?"
The case embarrassed previous housing minister Chris Carter last June when he told Parliament Crown prosecutors were investigating the case, only to find out the next day that the file was not sent to them until after he made that statement.
- NZPA
