1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: This story should shock everybody, but sadly, I don't think 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: it's going to the headline from yesterday. Former COVID response 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: lead stole one point eight million dollars from dhb's A 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: from us from taxpayer's name is Alister Thorby. This guy 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: was twenty five years old, yet somehow managed to be 6 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: in charge of the dhb's response to the COVID pandemic 7 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: in the Low and North Island. How he bought cars, 8 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: a holiday, a house even with this money. He was 9 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:35,599 Speaker 1: an MiQ boss basically submitted invoices for work that never happened. 10 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 1: One invoice was for three hundred thousand dollars two of 11 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: the companies the invoice four didn't even exist. Now this 12 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,599 Speaker 1: is bad for two reasons. One, how on earth does 13 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: some twenty five year old who's been in the job 14 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: for just five months bill one point eight million dollars 15 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: and get those invoices paid. That's criminal who signed off 16 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: on the checks, who was in charge? That is outrageous. 17 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: Number Two, the timing. The judging the case points out 18 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: that the money went out the door at a time 19 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,320 Speaker 1: when the government was scrambling to deal with COVID. Except 20 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: this guy was employed October twenty twenty one to June 21 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two. We were letting DJs through the border 22 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 1: for Rhythm and Vines. By then, the Wiggles were performing 23 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 1: Big Red Car at Spark Arena, So that doesn't add 24 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: up in my mind. It wasn't Panic Stations. It was 25 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: business as usual by then for COVID. So who was 26 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 1: writing the checks on our behalf? Something tells me this 27 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: guy probably wasn't alone in taking the purse, taking us 28 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: for a rider's taxpayers. Give fraudsters an inch, they'll take 29 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: a mile. This was, after all, peak Adern Hipkin's money 30 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: tap error, and the tap was on and it was 31 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: hosing out. We were throwing money out the window like 32 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: there was no tomorrow. Was this the tip of the iceberg? 33 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: And will anyone other than the guy who duped us 34 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: all be held responsible for the fact it was allowed 35 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: to happen in the first place. For more from Early 36 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to News Talks it 37 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: Be from five am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.