The Prime Minister has called it "utterly unbelievable" and the Justice Minister says he is "shocked" — a former Lotto presenter accused of money laundering was paid a full government salary for five years while suspended from his Ministry of Justice job.
Russell Harrison, 56, continued drawing his Ministry of Justice salary from mid-2021 until his employment was terminated following his guilty plea to money laundering, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds.
Harrison had been working as a navigator in the Family Court, starting in June 2021 after passing a criminal record check and vetting. He was arrested and charged later that same month as part of Operation Trojan Shield, a coordinated international FBI sting that resulted in more than 800 arrests across 16 countries, with tons of drugs seized and millions in cash uncovered.
Harrison had delivered six bars of gold bullion to the Comancheros in Turkey and was among hundreds arrested in that 2021 operation. His name only became public a fortnight ago when a suppression order was lifted at a court hearing where he admitted to money laundering. He had previously presented Lotto on TVNZ for more than a decade and worked on cruise ships as an entertainer.
Ministry of Justice acting chief operating officer Andrea King said Harrison was immediately suspended once the Ministry became aware of his arrest, and was not permitted to work in his role from that point. She said because he was innocent until proven guilty, the decision to terminate employment had to wait until the outcome of the charge was clear. His employment was terminated following his guilty plea.
Secretary of Justice Andrew Kibblewhite issued a statement saying the Ministry understood and shared the frustration expressed by the Prime Minister and Justice Minister, and that it had acted consistent with its employment law obligations. He said the Ministry was considering whether cases like this could be handled differently in future.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, speaking to reporters in Hawke's Bay on Friday, described the payments as "unacceptable" and said it was "quite unbelievable" to hear about the situation. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said he was "shocked" and has asked the Ministry for a full explanation, telling 1News he expected it back soon.
The Taxpayers' Union is demanding Secretary Kibblewhite front publicly rather than leave ministers to manage the fallout. Executive Director Jordan Williams said Kibblewhite's position was "simply untenable" if he knew a staff member was collecting a salary for five years while on effective garden leave but failed to tell his Minister.
Williams rejected the Ministry's argument that nothing could be done until Harrison was convicted. "Employment law doesn't require proof beyond reasonable doubt. Employers make decisions based on trust, conduct and suitability every day," he said.
Williams also called on Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche to act, saying accountability across the public service was a cornerstone of Roche's leadership. "If those words are to mean anything, there must be real consequences for the officials responsible," he said.