11.30am
Serious Fraud Office (SFO) boss David Bradshaw was today reappointed for five years, less than a week after the National Party called for his head.
State Services Commissioner Michael Wintringham announced the reappointment of Mr Bradshaw as SFO chief executive and director, saying he had done an outstanding job.
National called on
Mr Bradshaw to resign last week when it discovered he had told its political rivals he was investigating the party.
Deputy leader Roger Sowry said Mr Bradshaw had brought the politically neutral office into disrepute.
The SFO is investigating an allegation a National Party donation during the 1996 election campaign was misused.
It has refused to confirm to National the nature of the investigation or who made the complaint.
Mr Bradshaw told Prime Minister's Department head Mark Prebble, Mr Wintringham and Attorney-General Margaret Wilson about the investigation.
That was outrageous, Mr Sowry said .
"It brings the office into disrepute. We have lost confidence in him."
Mr Sowry could not be immediately reached for comment by NZPA.
There had been those who questioned Mr Bradshaw's independence and speculated on whether he would be reappointed, Mr Wintringham said.
"I do not want this speculation to continue," he said.
He decided several weeks ago to recommend Mr Bradshaw's reappointment.
The Government accepted his recommendation on April 29, he said.
Mr Bradshaw was first appointed to the job in 1997.
"The reappointment of the director will ensure continuity and certainty as the office continues to tackle increasingly complex fraud cases and new forms of offending," Mr Wintringham said.
The SFO, which has 35 staff, was responsible for the detection, investigation and prosecution of serious or complex fraud.
- NZPA
