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MED runs scared on Petroulias affair

Registrar of Companies Neville Harris and other Ministry of Economic Development officials hid behind communications advisers this week rather than answer questions on the Nick Petroulias affair.Petroulias, a former assistant tax commissioner in Australia

Rob Hosking
Thu, 15 Apr 2010

Registrar of Companies Neville Harris and other Ministry of Economic Development officials hid behind communications advisers this week rather than answer questions on the Nick Petroulias affair.

Petroulias, a former assistant tax commissioner in Australia, is serving a prison term in Sydney for corrupt behaviour, yet he became a director of two New Zealand firms in November last year and January this year.

A request to speak either to registrar of companies Neville Harris, or some other official dealing with the issue was initially parried off but then followed with a promise late yesterday that “somebody will phone you sometime tomorrow” – that is, today.

This did not happen. Instead a ministry communications adviser sent an email covering the issue of whether someone convicted of an offence of dishonesty in Australia is automatically prohibited from becoming a director in that country: if they are, they are also prohibited from becoming a director here.

It is not yet clear whether Petroulias will be prevented from becoming a director in Australia.

The National Business Review covered this issue some weeks ago when we broke the story.

There are however issues about how Petroulias could still remain as a director when he gave a false address when he became a director of the two companies, Alyssa Treasury Services and Pre Paid Professional Services.

These relate very much to the administration of the office. However several requests through the Ministry’s communications department to speak to Mr Harris or some other official dealing with the case were stonewalled.

Rob Hosking
Thu, 15 Apr 2010
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MED runs scared on Petroulias affair
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