Investigator Steph Dyhrberg said in a draft preliminary assessment his actions could be a serious breach of the standard of behaviour expected of elected representatives.
Cr Ong shared with news media information relating to a possible hotel development next to Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
He has been given a deadline of tomorrow to respond to the draft report, which Dunedin City Council chief executive Sandy Graham had requested be kept confidential. Ms Graham was the complainant.
On top of disregarding her request, Cr Ong has revealed more information about the stadium hotel concept.
This had been labelled ‘‘commercial in confidence’’ in an April 15 closed workshop for councillors.
In her draft report sent to Cr Ong on Tuesday afternoon, Ms Dyhrberg said her opinion was disclosure of information from a non-public meeting was a serious matter.
‘‘The repeated copying in of the media to the email exchanges which followed, also marked confidential, compounded the breach of confidentiality,’’ Ms Dyhrberg said.
‘‘It appears likely that Cr Ong’s repeated breaches of confidentiality were deliberate.’’
Ms Dyhrberg said his conduct had potentially compromised the commercial interests of the council.
The alleged breach of the council’s code of conduct warranted a full investigation, she said.
For the purpose of meeting requirements for natural justice, she provided Cr Ong with a copy of the draft preliminary assessment and supporting information and invited feedback from him.
Cr Ong’s reply included comment about natural justice and transparency.
‘‘Therefore, our being in agreement with natural justice, I am most naturally providing your possibly highly subjective assessment onwards to ... media.’’
Cr Ong thanked Ms Dyhrberg for her ‘‘lengthy report which I am certain constitutes countless billable hours’’ of ratepayer funds.
It is the third code of conduct matter involving Cr Ong since he was elected in October last year.
A complaint by him against Cr John Chambers was dismissed as being without substance.
An email from him about a witness in that case resulted in him being on the receiving end of a complaint.
Cr Ong was found to be in breach of the code and his colleagues asked him to consider resigning. He declined to do so.
In her latest report about Cr Ong, Ms Dyhrberg traversed a long chain of emails featuring Cr Ong.
In one, he referred to the Russell Property Group as a potential developer of the stadium hotel.
Cr Andrew Simms — in an email he did not send to media, but which Cr Ong passed on — said such disclosure could be highly prejudicial to the city’s position.
Dunedin Venues subsequently said in a statement the Russell Property Group had been engaged to further develop concept options and undertake a viability assessment for a hotel within the stadium precinct.
Ms Dyhrberg’s report referred to Dunedin City Holdings Ltd (DCHL) chairman Tim Loan confirming content Cr Ong disclosed to media had not been public information.
Her leaked report showed Forsyth Barr Stadium was an item on the council’s confidential forward work programme in February this year. DCHL was to prepare an update regarding a possible hotel development there.
