Inquiry reports

A list of the reports produced outside of the Office's scheduled work programme, as a result of the Auditor-General's decision to inquire into a public entity's use of resources.

Inquiry into the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board

August 2010: We looked in some detail at how the Board's functions were working. We found problems that included unclear or non-existent policies, poor communication, poor processes, and decisions and policies that were not clearly well-grounded in the legislation...

Inquiry into New Zealand Defence Force payments to officers seconded to the United Nations

July 2010: We carried out an inquiry into several matters associated with the payment of accommodation assistance by NZDF to four officers who it seconded to the UN in New York for different periods between 2001 and 2008...

Auditor-General's inquiry into certain types of expenditure in Vote Ministerial Services – Part 1

March 2010: First part of the Auditor-General's inquiry into certain types of expenditure in Vote Ministerial Services ­– the audit of expenditure incurred by Mr Phil Heatley’s ministerial office…

Auckland City Council: Management of footpaths contracts

February 2010: We have concluded that the Council’s processes and procedures for managing footpaths work – while still evolving – are reasonable and have been applied adequately. We are satisfied that the Council has protected the interests of ratepayers throughout its management of footpaths contracts...

Auckland Regional Council: Management of the LA Galaxy event at Mount Smart Stadium

January 2010: We have concluded that, despite the efforts of the council officers involved, the loss occurred because the LA Galaxy/Oceania "All Stars" match was in essence the wrong event, at the wrong time, for the wrong price...

Investigation into conflicts of interest of four councillors at Environment Canterbury

December 2009: We have concluded that the councillors have breached section 6(1) of the Local Authorities (Members’ Interests) Act 1968. However, we have decided that a prosecution would be unlikely to result in a conviction and that it would not be appropriate in these circumstances to seek to have the councillors prosecuted...

How the Thames-Coromandel District Council managed leasing arrangements for Council land in Whitianga

November 2009: Although our findings are of greatest interest to people in the Thames-Coromandel district, we note that most local authorities have extensive land holdings. Our findings from this inquiry reinforce the importance for all local authorities to have in place effective systems and processes to manage their land well on behalf of their communities...

Auditor-General's decision on parliamentary and ministerial accommodation entitlements

October 2009: In September, the Auditor-General received some requests to inquire into the way parliamentary and ministerial accommodation entitlements are administered and how they have been applied in relation to Hon Bill English. We gathered extensive background information on the two systems for administering accommodation entitlements and analysed their application to individual circumstances, including those of Mr English...

How the Ministry of Education managed the 2008 national school bus transport tender process

October 2009: Overall, the Ministry’s procurement approach was sound. No process is perfect, and we found a number of areas for improvement that we expect the Ministry to address in any subsequent bus tender processes...

Inquiry into immigration matters (Volume 1)

May 2009: Volume 1 of our inquiry into immigration matters, looking at visa and permit decision-making and other issues...

Inquiry into immigration matters (Volume 2)

May 2009: Volume 2 of our inquiry report about immigration matters. This volume deals with the public sector recruitment processes involving Mary Anne Thompson and related issues...

Inquiry into Christchurch City Council's five property purchases

January 2009, letter to Mr Tony Marryatt, Chief Executive of Christchurch City Council.

Inquiry into the West Coast Development Trust

August 2008: The Auditor-General decided in October last year to conduct an inquiry into the operations of the West Coast Development Trust (the Trust), after receiving information on the workings of the Trust, including allegations of conflicts of interest...

Inquiry into Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council's funding of the proposed stadium

September 2007: Letter advising of the outcome of our inquiry into the funding arrangements of the Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council for a new multi-purpose stadium proposed by the trustees of the Carisbrook Stadium Charitable Trust...

Queenstown Lakes District Council - regulatory and resource management services

September 2007: Letter advising of the outcome of our inquiry into decisions made by the Queenstown Lakes District Council and the council-controlled organisation that it established to provide regulatory and resource management services for the district...

Advertising expenditure incurred by the Parliamentary Service in the three months before the 2005 General Election

October 2006: In the three months before the General Election on 17 September 2005, the Auditor-General became concerned that electioneering material may have been paid for by the Parliamentary Service out of resources appropriated for MPs’ and parliamentary parties’ advertising...

Inquiry into certain allegations about Housing New Zealand Corporation

June 2006: The Board of Housing New Zealand Corporation asked me to consider undertaking an inquiry after allegations made by a former contractor of the Corporation appeared in the news media. The allegations were potentially serious, and warranted looking into...

Inquiry into funding arrangements for Green Party liaison roles

April 2006: This report sets out the outcome of our inquiry into the funding arrangements for the Green Party Ministerial liaison and relationship roles...

Inquiry into the Ministry of Health's contracting with Allen and Clarke Policy and Regulatory Specialists Limited

December 2005: The findings in this report are a reminder that public entities need to manage contracting for services to ensure two outcomes. The first is that they are receiving value for money. The second is that the risks of actual or perceived impropriety, especially those associated with concurrent or former employment with the entity, are managed in a transparent way...

Inquiry into certain aspects of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

December 2005: This audit and inquiry followed a request for assurance from the then Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education). There were concerns about possible conflicts of interest in transactions worth large sums of money. Other issues emerged as we began our inquiry...