Political colours play into wider AG report

Newfoundland and Labrador's auditor general has been given orders to include all politicians since 1989 in his pending report on the use of constituency allowances.

In a decision that could play into the fall election campaign, the provincial cabinet has asked John Noseworthy to shift his plan of filing a report onsitting members of the house of assembly first.

With the Progressive Conservatives holding 35 of the legislature's 48 seats, such a report would focus largely on the Tories.

In March, cabinet asked Noseworthyto file a larger, single report on all MHAs who have served since 1989, when the current constituency allowance system was adopted.

"There was some thought put into it, I guess, and they figured that we should probably have all 122 reported before the October provincial election," Noseworthy told CBC News.

"That's where we are."

Noseworthy was asked to review the use of constituency allowances tax-free payments that are intended to be used for office expenses last year, in the wake of Noseworthy's audits that shook up political circles.

Among other things, Noseworthy found that five politicians from three parties received about $1.6 million more than they were entitled to in constituency allowances. Noseworthy's series of audits also found minimal checks and balances in the house of assembly's finances.

Noseworthy's current review is looking not at overpayments, but how MHAs have used their allowances. It was sparked, in part, by revelations that a former member had claimed wine and artwork through his allowance.

Now, by being directed to report on all MHAs since 1989 at once, the political complexion of Noseworthy's investigation will be different.

Because the Liberal party held office between 1989 and 2003 with majority governments, most of the MHAs under consideration will be Liberals.

Premier Danny Williams said a single report is more fair.

"If three quarters of the people who were reported on happen to be Tory, then if that was the case and there was some negativity there then it would be disproportionate to the Tories," Williams said.

"If we do this over the complete period of time, it's a fair representation, because it's all relative."

Noseworthy is still expected to file his report by late August or early September, just before campaigning starts in earnest for the Oct. 9 general election.

Williams said it will be more fair for incumbent MHAs and voters to have a full report at once.

"If people are going to decide on what's right or wrong in regards of what [incumbents] did was appropriate or inappropriate, then they are in a position to measure what went on before and what went on with other governments, and what the standard was," Williams said.