Ousted Auditor-General Martin Matthews has secured a new job in local government

Greater Wellington Regional Council has hired him as independent chair of its Finance, Risk and Assurance Committee.

Matthews' time as Auditor-General ended in controversy, when he claimed to have been forced to resign as part of the fallout of a major fraud case.

Joanne Harrison stole 750-thousand dollars from the Ministry of Transport during his time in charge of the department.

It was Matthews who launched the investigation ultimately leading to her conviction - she was jailed and has since been deported from New Zealand.

Greater Wellington chair Daran Ponter says Matthews has both the curiosity and courage to question reports on the council's performance.