IHC fraud accused hit by bus

A woman accused of stealing $600,000 from the cash-strapped IHC suffered serious head injuries after being hit by a bus later that same day.

Police have confirmed they interviewed a former IHC staff member on Monday and laid several fraud charges.

The Dominion Post has learned that, about 6pm that evening, the woman was hit by a Go Wellington bus in Adelaide Rd, Berhampore.

Police say she stepped out from the passenger side of her four-wheel-drive into the path of the Island Bay-bound bus.

She was taken to Wellington Hospital in a serious but stable condition before being transferred to Hutt Hospital on Tuesday. She was undergoing surgery yesterday.

Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Borrell would not comment on the crash but confirmed a 56-year-old woman was interviewed after the IHC complained to police about financial discrepancies found during an internal audit. The woman was charged with several fraud-related offences.

Last financial year, the IHC collected $3.1 million in fundraising after expenses. The alleged theft would make up one-fifth of that.

IHC chief executive Ralph Jones said the alleged fraud had been picked up internally and a police investigation launched as a result.

"We have conducted a thorough internal investigation and review of our financial procedures and we can assure our many generous supporters that this was an isolated incident," he said.

No other employee had been implicated.

Mr Jones said they would be "pursuing vigorously" the money that had allegedly been stolen.

There would be no further comment as the matter was before the courts, he said.

The organisation is facing a bill for $80m bill in back pay after the Employment Court ruled that it should pay workers more for sleeping overnight at clients' homes.

The finding could increase the IHC's wage bill by $20m to $40m a year.

The court ruled that staff should be paid the minimum wage of $12.50 an hour for sleeping in clients' homes – nearly four times the current nightly rate of $34 ($3.40 an hour). It also said workers could claim up to six years' back pay.

The IHC earlier said it had no money to pay and would appeal against the ruling. It has asked the Health Ministry to provide assistance.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has said Crown Law is considering whether the ministry, IHC's primary funder, could join the agency in taking the appeal case.

- with Stuff.co.nz

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