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Bringing about a higher level of transparency and accountability in provincial and federal governments to help protect taxpayers from abuse

Bringing about a higher level of transparency and accountability in provincial and federal governments to help protect taxpayers from abuse.

Former boss of B.C.’s Fraser Health region faces fraud investigation in New Zealand

The former CEO of Fraser Health, who in 2014 resigned under threat of dismissal and took a similar job in New Zealand, will be investigated by that country’s serious fraud office over more than $120,608 ($112,427 Canadian) in “unjustified” travel and hotel expense claims.

The action against Dr. Nigel Murray, who worked in B.C. for seven years, was announced Wednesday by an inquiry in New Zealand. In a damning, 57-page report, Murray is found to have billed, and been reimbursed by, the Waikato District Health Board for numerous unauthorized, personal trips to places like Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Montreal and Moncton. He often cited “professional development” as the purpose of the trips when filing expense claims.

Read more at Vancouver Sun

Former Fraser Health chief Dr. Nigel Murray facing fraud probe in New Zealand over expense claims

Dr. Nigel Murray, the former chief executive officer of Fraser Health who resigned three years ago from his high-paid post in B.C. to take a similar job in New Zealand, has resigned again and remains under a cloud of suspicion there over excessive, unauthorized expense claims.

Murray was the highest paid ($444,000 total compensation) health authority CEO when he worked in B.C. from 2007 to 2014. He then moved back to his native New Zealand but resigned as the chief of the Waikato district board last month after an independent inquiry found numerous potential breaches of his financial obligations.

Read more at Edmonton Journal