Person examining Auditor General for Local Government’s office accused of bias
Posted March 19, 2015 3:02 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VICTORIA (NEWS1130) – What was already a messy situation at the Auditor General for Local Government‘s office is becoming a nightmare.
The AGLG has sent a statement saying the person appointed to audit her office is biased.
Chris Trumpy used to be a deputy minister under former Liberal MLA George Abbott. He now works with Abbott at a consulting firm.
Basia Ruta says Trumpy is not impartial and that makes the review of her office unlawful.
The audit of the AGLG and her staff was ordered after it was revealed her office had managed to produce only one report in two years.
Ruta says she just wants to make sure the audit lives up to the law. “The review that’s being contemplated is not in adherence with the law. So basically, that’s the issue, but I’m all for having the review done. I’m all for working with the audit council to make that happen and I’m confident that we can make it work.”
NDP critic for local government Selina Robinson says an auditor making a public accusation like this is fairly unprecedented. “It’s one of Christy Clark’s pet projects. It just keeps going sideways every single step of the way and it’s just been a colossal waste of money.”
She says the laws setting up this position were hastily done and are causing issues at all levels, especially for municipalities. “The amount of hours of their staff time to produce reports, to meet with the auditor general staff and because the auditor general’s office is so unorganized, they keep coming back for more information or to get the same information again and again and again. Well, that’s costing taxpayers.”
Robinson says it’s time the Liberals blow this up and start again.
