B.C.’s Auditor General has sprung into action after a bombshell report from the Speaker.

“We have commenced an audit in this area in light of the issues brought to our attention.”

Carol Bellringer says she has autonomy under legislation to audit how she sees fit but still needs some direction from the Legislative Assembly Management Committee.

“The only direction we need is to understand what they are expecting. In terms of how we are going about doing this we are doing it under a section of our Act that gives us full flexibility to determine what the scope of the audit will be. The committee could request something of us but at this point they have not.”

She says regardless the audit will be a “deep dive” into the legislature’s books.  Bellringer anticipates the audit will take a year or more but it will be done in chunks with each piece reported out publicly as it is completed.

“The first thing we do have to do is figure out exactly what needs to be done and why and what is the purpose of it. Is it being prepared for submission to an authority like the RCMP? Or is it being done to alter policies so that there are strengths going forward? That is exactly at the heart of what we are now pulling the information together to determine.”

A report from Speaker Darryl Plecas alleges outlandish abuses of expenses and retirement benefits from the now suspended Clerk Craig James and Sergeant at Arms Gary Lenz.