Auckland Transport manager admits taking bribes, gratuities for tenders, contracts

A former employee of Auckland Transport and Rodney District Council has pleaded guilty to two representative charges of accepting undisclosed payments totalling $103,580 while he was in roles that involved letting of contracts and tenders for local authority work.

Barrie George entered the guilty pleas in the High Court at Auckland today for his part in a case of alleged bribery and corruption by former employees of Auckland Transport and Rodney District Council. The council was disestablished in 2010 and became part of Auckland Council.

George was charged along with Stephen Borlase and Murray Noone in April last year. He admitted that between December 2005 and June 2013 he received "undisclosed payments or gratuities while in various engineering and management roles," the Serious Fraud Office said in a statement. "The gratuities often came in the form of cash, travel, accommodation and entertainment."

"In circumstances such as these, this conduct becomes part of the culture of an organisation, and can continue unquestioned," said SFO director Julie Read. "This does not excuse the offending and it is important that employees who are offered gifts, money or benefits by clients (or prospective clients) ask themselves whether their employer is aware of the offer and whether it might be an offence to accept."

Borlase and Noone are to stand trial later this year while George will reappear for sentencing on Sept. 1.

(BusinessDesk)

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Jonathan Underhill
Wed, 03 Aug 2016

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Auckland Transport manager admits taking bribes, gratuities for tenders, contracts

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