Council sets up whistleblower committee

An internal audit policy adopted by the Dunedin City Council shifts responsibility to governance level, an ''important change'', councillor Richard Thomson told a council meeting yesterday.

Cr Thomson said he had been ''kind of staggered'' when he became a councillor to find internal audits overseen at management level. In an organisation that large it was ''extremely odd''.

The audit and risk committee would now oversee the process, which would be more visible.

Group chief financial officer Grant McKenzie said staff were to receive special training for the policy, part of which involved establishing a council whistleblower contact. Cr Lee Vandervis asked how easy it would be for the general public to tip off the council's whistleblower, given he was ''beginning to tire of the role, given recent events''.

Cr Hilary Calvert asked whether the whistleblower contact would be easily found on the DCC website and chief executive Dr Sue Bidrose said staff would ensure it could.

The policy was adopted unanimously.

eileen.goodwin@odt.co.nz

 

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