‘I'm telling on you,' is never threat enough to get your way in sandpit arguments, and it looks as if complaining to the Auditor General may be the same in local body politics.
Assistant Auditor General Bruce Robertson, who is responsible for local government matters, has likened the situation complained about by Tauranga City Councillor Hayden Evans to 'how people decide to play in the sandpit.”

He says this is one of about 200 complaints received by the office about councils each week.
In non pecuniary matters, like the conflict of interest complaint from Tauranga City Councillor Hayden Evans against Councillors Mike Baker, Bill Faulkner, Wayne Moultrie and Mayor Stuart Crosby, the Auditor General's office's powers are discretionary.
'We have always believed ratepayers and the public should have the ability to write-in to the Auditor General's office with their concerns,” says Bruce.
However, he continues, 'If you haven't already gone through the normal democratic processes it would be unlikely that we would become involved.”
An issue, such as the one involving Hayden, which revolve around a conflict of interest could be referred on to another agency, like the ombudsman, says Bruce.
All enquires go through a preliminary stage, which may take some time because the Auditor General's office often needs to contact the council concerned and/or the people involved. This stage may include getting information in writing.
'It reflects the need to have a reasonable understanding of the issue and the broad facts around a matter before we can decide whether the office should actually undertake further work,” says Bruce.
'Two broad principles are involved in this decision – is it within our mandate to deal with the enquiry, and is it good use of our limited discretionary resource to undertake an actual inquiry.”
A decision to undertake an inquiry then leads to further necessary work and a clearance process of findings which also can be time consuming to allow for natural justice, both for the council and/or the individuals involved.
'Consequently we do not give estimates of timing,” says Bruce.
'Some matters can be dealt with quickly whereas more controversial matters often take longer than people may think, or even desire.”
Generally the inquiry process is relatively anonymous, involving the Auditor General's office, the complainant/enquirer and council.
'Once we have reached a decision, it is generally then up to the parties involved as to what they do with our findings – that is, go public,” says Bruce.
Sometimes the Auditor General's office will go public on a decision to undertake an inquiry and release the findings, but that tends to relate to major inquiries.