The Premier is reacting for the first time to the report on outlandish spending abuses at the B.C. Legislature that led to the suspension of the Clerk and Sergeant at Arms.

John Horgan says he was shocked at the allegations in the 76 page report and the allegations it contained.

Horgan says an audit od the legislature was done just a few years ago to address the kind of abuse alleged in the Plecas report.

“But clearly those practices have been circumvented by the existing officers of the legislature. So we have more work to do there.”

As for who should do the audit now.

“The Auditor General of British Columbia is of course independent. They had done a review not six years ago so they have already got the expertise. They know how the ledgers work. I think that is probably the best way forward.”

That said Horgan added it will be up the Legislative Assembly Management Committee to chart a path forward.

Horgan singled out the BC Liberals for targeting the Speaker, Darryl Plecas in the days before his report was made public.

“I give full marks to Speaker Plecas for having the courage despite the just horrendous smearing that went from the BC Liberals into his character. He has shed a light on something that all British Columbians are startled and disgusted by and I think that is a good thing.”

He says it is clear issues like “excessive expenditures on what seem to be some pretty bizarre items” doesn’t happen again.

Horgan was asked if he feels vindicated in opposing what he then called the unprecedented move by the Liberals in 2011 to appoint Craig James as Clerk.

“I would prefer to have an independent and impartial Clerk making sure that the business in British Columbia is being done in an open and transparent way.”

James was appointed to the position of Clerk in September of 2011 by the then BC Liberal government circumventing a long standing tradition of consulting with all parties in the legislature followed by a unanimous vote of the house to fill the position.