February 26, 2010
-
News: New Zealand's Minister Resigns Over CC Use
That standing theory that 70 percent of a company's theft is internal appears to be true form many organizations and government agencies as proven with the recent epidemic of credit card abuse. There have been numerous reports of school board member, political leaders, and company employees who had been using their organizations' credit cards for personal pleasure and expenses. These unethical practices are not restricted within the boundaries of the United States; among others, New Zealand is dealing with the same problems. Under public scrutiny about his questionable use of the government's credit card, Phil Heatley resigned. Heatley was New Zealand's Minister of Housing and Fisheries and announced his decision to the Parliament on Thursday.
Heatley was not the first New Zealand cabinet member to resign from office under allegations of misuse of government issued credit cards. Richard Worth was a member of the New Zealand's National Party parliamentary caucus. He resigned last June under controversy regarding a personal trip to India that he registered as business. Worth resigned his position in the wake of a criminal investigation. Heatley told the Parliament that he is resigning because he realized that an additional error occurred in the management of his credit card expenses. An audit had already revealed his use to fund a family vacation and this new discovery indicated additional charges for two bottles of wine.
Heatley reimbursed the parliament for the wine; however, asked the Auditor-General to launch an independent investigation into his credit card spending. In his own defense, Heatley said he was negligent in educating himself with rules covering use of the party's issued card. In a statement to the media, he said "I want to resign; I haven't lived up to my own standards." His resignation does not end his political career. Heatley will continue to be a Member of Parliament as representative of the Whangarei region. Meanwhile a full investigation has begun looking into Heatley's claimed expenses.