The Ministry of Justice is being accused of turning a blind eye to some internal issues after a staffer facing money laundering charges stayed on its payroll for five years. 

Former Lotto host Russell Harrison was arrested days after starting at the ministry in 2021, admitting guilt in June. 

Documents obtained by the Taxpayers Union reveal four other ministry employees are on leave while facing charges or misconduct investigations. 

Union executive director Jordan Williams told Ryan Bridge the HR department would surely know. 

He believes there's a culture within the public service, where they don't worry as taxpayers are footing the bill. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The Ministry of Justice is being accused of turning a blind eye to some internal issues after a staffer facing money laundering charges stayed on its payroll for five years.&nbsp;
Former Lotto host Russell Harrison was arrested days after starting at the ministry in 2021, admitting guilt in June.&nbsp;
Documents obtained by the Taxpayers Union reveal four other ministry employees are on leave while facing charges or misconduct investigations.&nbsp;
Union executive director Jordan Williams told Ryan Bridge the HR department would surely know.&nbsp;
He believes there's a culture within the public service, where they don't worry as taxpayers are footing the bill.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Jordan Williams: Taxpayers Union Executive Director on the investigation into the Ministry of Justice for Russell Harrison pay saga

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/592ed4c9-1a12-4f19-a980-b49e00093f94/transcript

AI might be contributing to our rising unemployment rate. 

Stats NZ data shows unemployment jumped to 5.6% in the June quarter, up from 5.3% in March.  

It's the highest rate in 11 years and higher than most economists had been picking. 

ABC Business Sales’ Chris Small told Ryan Bridge when you compare the South Island’s rate of 3.7% to the North Island’s 6%, it seems like more of a white-collar problem than a blue-collar one. 

He says AI is filling a bit of a void for some business owners, which means they’re not hiring as many people. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

AI might be contributing to our rising unemployment rate.&nbsp;
Stats NZ data shows unemployment jumped to 5.6% in the June quarter, up from 5.3% in March. &nbsp;
It's the highest rate in 11 years and higher than most economists had been picking.&nbsp;
ABC Business Sales’ Chris Small told Ryan Bridge when you compare the South Island’s rate of 3.7% to the North Island’s 6%, it seems like more of a white-collar problem than a blue-collar one.&nbsp;
He says AI is filling a bit of a void for some business owners, which means they’re not hiring as many people.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Chris Small: ABC Business Sales CEO on the unemployment rate rising to 5.6%, impact of AI

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/92f8c013-cf5b-4b3e-8662-b49e000caf45/transcript

A couple of things on the unemployment number that came out yesterday. 

It looks worse than actually it is because a bunch of people decided they would start looking for work in the second quarter rather than the one before it.

So, there are a bunch of reasons for this happening, but basically you don't really know.

You don't know what you don't know. It's anyone's guess.

It could be that people go, oh, the job market is on the up, so it's actually worth me trying to look for work now, which would be a good thing. 

But also, the net rate is better than it was in March.

There are a couple of reasons, a couple of good takeaways from yesterday's number.

The net rate better than it was in the March quarter. That's young people, so ages 15 to 24 who are not in employment, not in education, or not in training.

So you want fewer of them. It was 14.4%, it's now 13.8%. Sure, definitely room for improvement, but there is a slight improvement. 

Young people who couldn't find work have gone into education to upskill, which is exactly what you want them to do at a time like this.

The numbers still higher than you want, of course. 

They both are actually on the whole, but with context, not as bad as they look at first glance and with some promising signs under the hood.

And every economist and his dog right now will tell you, don't let this put you off.

Unemployment is the lagging indicator, so it's the last one that will turn in an economic turnaround.

And gee, this thing's been a titanic of a turnaround job.

But there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic despite the headline number that came out yesterday. 

A couple of things on the unemployment number that came out yesterday.&nbsp;
It looks worse than actually it is because a bunch of people decided they would start looking for work in the second quarter rather than the one before it.
So, there are a bunch of reasons for this happening, but basically you don't really know.
You don't know what you don't know.&nbsp;It's anyone's guess.
It could be that people go, oh, the job market is on the up, so it's actually worth me trying to look for work now, which would be a good thing.&nbsp;
But also, the net rate is better than it was in March.
There are a couple of reasons, a couple of good takeaways from yesterday's number.
The net rate better than it was in the March quarter.&nbsp;That's young people, so ages 15 to 24 who are not in employment, not in education, or not in training.
So you want fewer of them.&nbsp;It was 14.4%, it's now 13.8%. Sure, definitely room for improvement, but there is a slight improvement.&nbsp;
Young people who couldn't find work have gone into education to upskill, which is exactly what you want them to do at a time like this.
The numbers still higher than you want, of course.&nbsp;
They both are actually on the whole, but with context, not as bad as they look at first glance and with some promising signs under the hood.
And every economist and his dog right now will tell you, don't let this put you off.
Unemployment is the lagging indicator, so it's the last one that will turn in an economic turnaround.
And gee, this thing's been a titanic of a turnaround job.
But there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic despite the headline number that came out yesterday.&nbsp;

Ryan Bridge: Unemployment isn't as bad as it seems

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f158a740-6c07-4ef6-b93c-b49d012e5d78/transcript

There are concerns family violence victims are waiting too long for protection orders to be served.

Data released under the Official Information Act reveals nearly half of temporary protection orders served by Police in 2025 took four days or longer to reach respondents.

Northland recorded the longest average delay at 16 days.

Aviva's Gwenda Kendrew told Ryan Bridge their concern is the state of limbo the process leaves them in, unsure of their safety, rights, and the protection they have around them. 

She says it is a piece of paper, but it says a whole lot about how they can live their life safely from then on. 

LISTEN ABOVE

There are concerns family violence victims are waiting too long for protection orders to be served.
Data released under the Official Information Act reveals nearly half of temporary protection orders served by Police in 2025 took four days or longer to reach respondents.
Northland recorded the longest average delay at 16 days.
Aviva's Gwenda Kendrew told Ryan Bridge their concern is the state of limbo the process leaves them in, unsure of their safety, rights, and the protection they have around them.&nbsp;
She says it is a piece of paper, but it says a whole lot about how they can live their life safely from then on.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Gwenda Kendrew: Aviva General Manager on delays in protection orders

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/df5c2455-ffee-4fb0-9591-b49d012d14e5/transcript

Jordan Williams: Taxpayers Union Executive Director on the investigation into the Ministry of Justice for Russell Harrison pay saga

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