Ministerial Explanation and Statement of Responsibility Relating to the Information Provided by the Serious Fraud Office
The government has announced that the Serious Fraud Office is to be disestablished, with its functions included in the new Organised and Financial Crime Agency of New Zealand (OFCANZ) within the New Zealand Police from 1 July 2008, subject to the passing of the necessary legislation.
In light of this announcement, and in accordance with section 38(3) of the Public Finance Act 1989, the Associate Minister of Finance and I have agreed that the Serious Fraud Office need not provide information on its future operating intentions for the 3-year period normally required by that Act.
As the legislation has yet to be passed, however, there is a possibility that the Serious Fraud Office will still be operating after 1 July 2008, when this 3-year period begins. Consequently, we have asked the Serious Fraud Office to provide forecast financial statements and a statement of forecast service performance for the 2008/09 financial year only, but not the medium-term intentions normally presented in a department's Statement of Intent.
If the necessary legislation is not in force by 1 July 2008, the Serious Fraud Office will continue to operate in accordance with the appropriations in Vote Serious Fraud, its statement of forecast service performance for 2008/09 and, where relevant, the operating intentions set out in its 2007 Statement of Intent, until such time as the Office is disestablished.
I am satisfied that the information on future operating intentions provided by the Serious Fraud Office and included in the Information Supporting the Estimates for the Justice Sector is in accordance with sections 38, 40 and 41 of the Public Finance Act 1989 and is consistent with the policies and performance expectations of the government.
Hon Dr Michael Cullen
Responsible Minister for the Serious Fraud Office
16 April 2008
