Received from Anonymous
Fri, 19 Dec 2014 at 5:54 p.m.
If the Police can refuse to investigate a formal complaint regarding the actions of the ORFU and a large pokie trust involving millions of dollars by applying the Crown Solicitors investigation guidelines which include the Likelihood of a prosecution and obtaining a conviction, it is now difficult to comprehend how the Police could agree to investigating the Citifleet fraud when the main suspect is dead and there is zero chance of a conviction and with all wider enquiries ruled out. This is all about the DCC doing just enough to satisfy its insurer and the Dunedin Police falling into line – contrived and callous!!!
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
What if? Dunedin... 
The reason for not delving into involvement by other people was that they no longer work for the DCC, or did I pick that up wrongly?
If that was how the investigation was carried out it’s a worry.
There is plenty wrong with a system that allows – encourages – malefactors to skedaddle from the scene of their misdeeds (embezzlement; fraud; designing buildings that are way below safety standards; sex crimes) when things heat up, farewelled by a phalanx of blind eyes avoiding embarrassment by seeing no evil and making sure no authorities are alerted to it either.
And what’s the result? Same villains, same wickedness, different victims in new settings. Nah, not good enough.
[eg] The previous manager of Citifleet, Bob Heath, was affectionately known as “Arthur Daley” at DCC.
Former CFO Athol Stephens used this ‘term of endearment’ on more than one occasion in council meetings.
As yet, no-one in ‘mainstream media’ or ‘council authority’ is taking up the DCC INSURANCE slant. It’s only a matter of time.
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### ODT Online Sat, 20 Dec 2014
Editorial: DCC fraud: a salutary lesson
OPINION Deloitte’s report into fraud at the Dunedin City Council has proved as damning as suspected. […] What makes it worse is the way several “red flags” were ignored or investigated insufficiently. These included Mr Bachop’s excessive lifestyle as well as questions over the years, including from Cr Lee Vandervis. While these flags were flying, down the road at the then Otago District Health Board, Michael Swann’s place in a $16.9 million fraud was being uncovered and receiving extensive publicity.
Read more
█ More from Saturday’s ODT here.
█ Comments remain closed at ODT. Democracy? Independent journalism?
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Related Post and Comments:
5.12.13 Swann case: ODHB/SDHB and friends
Infamy or glory? New search term showing up in Site Stats this morning:
*DCC fraud blog*
Naturally, I’m about to post material to counteract any such suggestion. Plebs can mutter amongst themselves in the comments section at right. What if? is for Mayor and City! (aren’t we…. OK, no I didn’t think so but the posts begin today)
Out of curiosity I googled *DCC fraud blog* restricting search to 1 month. This site was in lead position. There were others….
http://yournz.org/2014/12/20/dunedins-mayor-cull-misrepresents-fraud-report/ Dunedin’s Mayor Cull misrepresents fraud report. “For Cull to put all the blame on one dead person and claim the report concluded no one else in Council benefited, when the report went as far as saying the police may be interested in staff members involved, gives me no confidence at all that the Mayor of Dunedin takes this seriously enough.”
http://yournz.org/2014/12/20/dunedin-citifleece-report-confirms-gobsmacking-laxity/ – scroll down to the comments!
.www.facebook.com/crjintymactavish see post dated 18 December “……..I’m glad this report has been released this year. I want to head into 2015 with this behind us, getting on with the job of continually improving our processes and doing our darndest to deliver good outcomes for our great wee city.” Pollyanna’s glad game?
Rhetorical question. The ODT can moderate all comments so why don’t they allow ANY feedback on the latest DCC debacle?
Russell, take a look at their “front page” online, http://www.odt.co.nz/news. What important story’s not visible? Then go to Most Popular, Today, This Week, This Month. Again what don’t you see?
Russell, the whole thing squeaks of some weird agreement between DCC and ODT (the new meaning for ‘rhetorical’) —NONE of which makes sense. For example, despite very high views since Thursday I’ve had to moderate few comments here – mostly approving (without edits) any held up by precautionary word filters we’ve set.
Russell, it’s what might be termed ‘an unholy alliance’. We see it frequently and that is a dangerous trend. The ‘fourth estate’ is all that stands between the people and unbridled power. I feel very uncomfortable about it.
A reason may be that while Cull tells the Dunedin public he wants to put this fraud behind him going into 2015, he simply could not resist having a crack at Vandervis and in doing so defamed in what looks to be a well rehearsed article with his lackeys from the ODT.
Hype, the biggest story relative to Dunedin gets fullish coverage in one issue of the ODT. Then it simply disappears like it had never happened. Unprecedented! What is it about this that it has been shut down without so much as a look in for public comment? Is it the arguably defamatory statement re Cr Vandervis’ zero credibility made by Mayor Cull? Is it to take the ‘heat’ off Cull and the whole rickety Citifleet report? Surely it can’t be because of the impending Coroner’s Report. Could it be that there are some bigger fish involved that need protecting? Whatever, the ODT has scored a serious ‘own goal’ here. It is getting like a third world state here the way it is run.
Plenty to think about, indeed plenty of ammunition that isn’t being discussed by DCC because accessory, to and after the fact.
So much so the Deloitte report / insurance claim is a mere distraction.
Dave Cull seems to have an unhappy knack of getting people off side by his petulant, and unprofessional, behaviour towards people who have a different point of view to him. He forgets that as a leader, by virtue of his position as Mayor, it is better to be seen as above the fray. Even Peter Chin, whom many didn’t have time for, was able to contain his temper much better in public and show a bit more grace under fire.
It makes you wonder whether Dave Cull is losing it because that is how he comes across. This is not long after his ‘lunatic fringe’ comment.
The ‘zero credibility’ comment directed to Lee Vandervis is patently absurd given the man’s untiring efforts to alert those on council about problems in Citifleet. He should be thanking Lee Vandervis for pushing this issue in the first place, not castigating him. He has let petty jealousy and petty competition to get in the way of fairness to a hard working councillor.
I would think Lee Vandervis has a good case for a ‘Code of Conduct’ against Dave Cull.
Peter, I agree that Cr Lee Vandervis would likely have a strong case for a ‘Code of Conduct’ against Dave Cull. The first rule is that no Mayor or Councillor should publicly criticize or rebuke a fellow member over disagreements on policy matters. It is a chamber for debate on issues in the public interest. It is not the arena for displaying personal likes or dislikes of opposite opinions. This has been Dave Cull’s failing in regard to Cr Vandervis , he constantly goes the extra yard to show his contempt, which is seldom based on anything but angst. Cr Vandervis’ only faults seem to be that he studies, gathers facts and then questions. Isn’t that what we elect these people for?
Whatever the issues may or may not be regarding ‘code of conduct’ the mayor’s performance on the recent Radio NZ Checkpoint program demonstrated that he is simply not up to the mark. He deflected direct questions, blamed a dead man for everything, hid behind the Chief Executive to dodge questions and pretended that the issue was dealt with. This was a nationally broadcast program. He came across to the nation as a petulant little person wanting to shut down the questions. There are many questions left unanswered not the least that this has been going on for 11 or so years, 5 of which on HIS WATCH.
His performance was not good enough for a mayor. In my book a pretty dodgy performance – FAIL.
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{Link added. -Eds}
Before the first election where Cull and Vandervis stood for Mayor, Cull was asked how he thought he would get along with Lee in his council if he, Cull, became mayor. His response was that he was sure he could “manage” Lee. Having found that Lee is not a limpdick who sits in silent awe at the Chain’d One but instead keeps his eyes open and his brain in good running order, Cull is well peeved.
There’s something awfully unattractive about a peevish grown man, in my opinion.
I don’t care if Lee raises questions about things that, when checked out, turn out to be not problems. I do care that so few of the others, councillors and DCC staff, question things that look like something’s not OK, or are too easily turned away by “don’t worry your little head about that”. It’s responses like Cull’s to serious matters being raised that turns people into silent non-boat-rockers, turn up to work on time and leave on time, no further engagement required thanks, otherwise we’ll make YOU uncomfortable, very uncomfortable.
Interesting to see our good Lord’s comments, so close to the festive season. “He was glad only one person had been incriminated in the report as the majority of the 600-odd staff were diligent and committed to their jobs.” Wonder how long he had to sit in the cow shed to work that one out?
Yes. Cr Lord put 2 and 2 together (threw in a Fonterra forecast) and got 1.
In regards to DCC’s Deloitte report / insurance claim drama, Lord’s probably one of the very few Dunedinites remaining — excepting Dave Cull, Chris Staynes, Sue Bidrose, Richard Thomson, Grant McKenzie, Tony Avery (must be nearly paid out by now, with suitcase packed), Sandy Graham, Paul Orders at a handy but knowing remove, other bottom filtering councillors, and their trusty council-counsel — who thinks just ONE person, being dead, manufactured every last detail of institutional fraud (pertaining to ‘missing vehicles’ only !!), while denying every other instance of serious fraud and conflict of interest that still goes down at our beloved DCC.
Meaning the multimillion-dollar crimes of unethical and unseemly proportion, to be charged unerringly and continuously to 53,000 or so unimportant little ratepayers — while DCC governance and management stay fat and preened, wearing steady smiles over coffee cups about town.
Important aside. Where did the $20 million “cash on hand” dissipate to across the council books of pet projects, since January 2014 when the new Group CFO arrived. The DCC doesn’t want to tell the ratepayers, that’s for certain. Time to crank things up.
It seems as though the ‘Citifleet’ fraud didn’t happen. That’s if one can go by the ‘fleeting’ (pun not intended) mention of it at council level, and more importantly, the scant attention given it by the principle news media Otago Daily Times. That it has been so furtively swept under the carpet by our Mayor and CEO in connivance with the news media, suggests that maybe there is much more to this than has been revealed. All this tends to make one wonder just how concerned these folk are with the task pf preserving the Public’s purse, and how much more their own little interests take precedent. In fact, one wonders if it would have seen the light of day at all but for the honest diligence of Cr Lee Vandervis. The only certainty is that this reeking mess won’t go away until justice is seen to be done. The ratepayers deserve that at the very least.
Kiwiblog, the personal blog of David Farrar, again picks up on the Citifleet fraud. Go to http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2014/12/the_dcc_fraud.html
maxwell (58 comments) says:
December 22nd, 2014 at 11:04 am
This is only the second time the ODT has mentioned this report.
The Council got 1 mill back in Insurance but was not paid out the remaining 500k, spent 200k for the report and 100k so far in legal fees and it’s hardly newsworthy ?
The ODT are not allowing online comments about this. “Lessons have been learnt, let’s put it behind us, move on, systemic failures, new procedures in place, yeah, yeah, yada, yada, yada….
150 vehicles sold at below market value, two managers resign after the sudden death of Brent Bachop and no one is responsible. ??? (except, solely and conveniently, the dead man).
Not one other person of the 700 staff knew about this ?? Especially those who bought the vehicles, including car dealers. Yeah right.
For a less sanitised view of yet more corruption in local government go to
https://dunedinstadium.wordpress.com/
Far from having “zero credibility” (according to Mayor Cull) Lee Vandervis is the only one who can look himself in the mirror.
A newspaper worth its salt with real investigative journalists (remember them) would love the stench of corruption in the morning….
[ends]
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Also at Comments, note references to the former Waitakere City Council (1989 to 2010) which amalgamated into super city Auckland Council. Waitakere is where Sue Bidrose hails from:
Director: Community Wellbeing, Waitakere City Council
2008 – October 2010 (2 years)
Director Strategic Performance, Waitakere City Council
2005 – 2008 (3 years)
There will be little if nothing that the chief executive didn’t or doesn’t know about the content of Lee Vandervis’ historical whistleblower emails to Paul Orders that flagged the DCC car fraud, and which disturb the timeline offered up in DCC Communications to date on Citifleet/Citypark. And with this hanging over the head, so to speak, as media round the country look on (as seen by visitor views to What if?, and more direct means), the chief might learn from old psychology that there are more ways to swing a cat, but when the cat is swinging dogs do bite. More to come.
At the very least, for starters, admit that the mayor is your worst servant – operationally. Then start cleaning up acts — for The People. Or go.
I am not convinced that improving processes….so it never happens again….is the whole answer. Jinty, Sue Bidrose, Dave Cull et al seem to think so. This is naive…..at best.
The point is those who steal from the public purse find other ways to circumvent process. They and their successors are emboldened to do so where there is no accountability…except for being shuffled out the back door with ‘many thanks’.
Too many of our DCC people see themselves, smugly, as policy wonks, believing policy development is the next best thing to the Bible. How about the importance of integrity and following bad actions by others to some form of justice?
Eww.
Dave Cull at Ch39 tonight on the year that’s been. WTF
Pretending to be Santa Claus, wearing Benign Innocence mask.
Saying how much we at Dunedin love the stadyum.
And more on what DCC has learnt from Deloitte report / insurance claim.
[no video link supplied by the Channel]
Our erstwhile friend, not keen on using phones:
1. “Jim Harland, the former chief executive of the city council, was in charge from 2000 until early 2011 – the majority of the time Mr Bachop was apparently committing the fraud. He hung up on Radio New Zealand and did not return any further calls.”
via RNZ’s police reporter Michael Allan at http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/262170/council-under-fire-after-fraud-report
[What if?] https://dunedinstadium.wordpress.com/2014/12/18/dcc-deloitte-report-released-on-citifleet/#comment-57665
2. Didn’t return ODT reporter Vaughan Elder’s calls
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/327869/handling-fraud-red-flags-criticised
[What if?] https://dunedinstadium.wordpress.com/2014/12/19/vandervis-deloitte-and-police-citifleet-investigations/#comment-57670
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Other media hooks on Citifleet include these in recent months:
3.9.14 Former CEO ultimately responsible for all council staff, won’t accept blame for Citifleet http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/314621/harland-rejects-council-criticism
“Dunedin City Council chief executive Jim Harland has hit back at criticism over the alleged $1.5 million Citifleet fraud, while refusing to accept responsibility for any failings on his watch. Instead, he has fired a shot back at the council and Mayor Dave Cull, saying the convention of elected members not criticising council staff “is being challenged”. […] Mr Harland – now a New Zealand Transport Agency manager – told the ODT yesterday he also accepted, as the council’s chief executive, he had been ultimately responsible for all council staff. However, he would not comment on whether he shared any blame for the failure to detect the alleged fraud until after Deloitte’s report was made public. The report would show “what more we could have done”, he said. “No chief executive can be aware of all the detailed transactions taking place in an organisation, but you still always have that accountability. I haven’t seen the report. I only know what processes we had. If those processes had been followed, there wouldn’t have been a fraud,” he insisted.” Continues…
25.8.14 Let’s blame Audit NZ again
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/313676/audit-nz-slated-over-citifleet-fraud
“[Sue Bidrose’s] comments came after former council chief executive Jim Harland defended his handling of the audit process during his time in charge. Mr Harland said the council’s internal processes “didn’t throw up any issues” relating to Citifleet, and neither did Audit NZ’s reports. “At times they [Audit NZ] drew to our attention some areas for improvement, but this was never one of them.” That left him questioning the value of Audit NZ’s work. “Part of the service we used to buy was a commentary on the management control environment, and that’s what we’re talking about here. The expectation is when you provide a service is that it’s there to provide assurance to you. Why wasn’t it picked up? I think that’s a question you’d have to direct to Audit New Zealand.””
5.7.14 Blame Audit NZ, plus Athol
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/308319/how-hell-did-it-happen-staynes
“Former council chief executive Jim Harland – who quit in 2011 after more than a decade in charge – defended his handling of the organisation. The council conducted regular internal audits of individual departments, as well as being checked annually by Audit New Zealand, and neither had identified problems within Citifleet, he said. Mr Harland could not remember if Citifleet had been specifically scrutinised, but “I would have expected” it was, he said. “From my seat, there was nothing drawn to my attention which gave me any indication that there were issues.” He confirmed that while the council’s senior managers tracked spending on new vehicles, they did not see figures for income from vehicle sales and “wouldn’t have visibility around the disposal side of things”.
When asked if the Citifleet claims showed the council’s controls were not tough enough, Mr Harland said that would depend on the outcome of the investigation. “It may be the processes were appropriate and people weren’t following them.” Mr Harland said the council’s policy was to replace vehicles after “something like” five years or 100,000km, but he could not recall details of its vehicle procurement policy. Asked if it involved a competitive tender process available to all dealers, Mr Harland said he “would have expected” several dealers to be approached. That was a matter for the council’s former finance and corporate support general manager, Athol Stephens, who oversaw the procurement process, Mr Harland said. He had not been contacted by Deloitte, “but if they ring me, I’ll fully co-operate”, Mr Harland said.”
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[ASIDE – a reminder, this from Phil at What if?
“It was interesting in discussions last night that one of the few people within the organisation who spanned the entire fraud period, which predates Brent Bachop, was Athol. How did he miss this, given that he had the finance portfolio the whole time ? Not suggesting that Athol is involved but when you are talking about $1.5m, the buck has to stop somewhere.”
Full comment at https://dunedinstadium.wordpress.com/2014/08/22/dcc-deloitte-report-referred-to-the-police-citifleet/#comment-53536 ]
As night follows day…..
Harland enters on cue from stage left….. some convenient and quite calculated theatre, orchestrated by All??
Smacks of a deal between lawyers.
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### ODT Online Tue, 23 Dec 2014
I apologise for the pain: former CEO
By Vaughan Elder
The man at the helm of the Dunedin City Council when most of a $1.59 million fraud took place has broken his silence and apologised to ratepayers.
Former council chief executive Jim Harland had not spoken to media since the release of a Deloitte report last week which slammed a lack of controls at the council which allowed the fraud, involving 152 cars and $102,908 of personal spending on council fuel cards, to go undetected for so long.
Mr Harland yesterday apologised to ratepayers for the fraud which took place while he was chief executive. He said he had “agonised” over things he could have done to prevent it. “I apologise because of the pain it has caused everybody. I apologise in the sense that if the control environment had been followed at the time, it would have been picked up earlier.”
Read more
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[Loose question: How much cash was paid for new tyres to fit the Alfa Romeo.]
An apology is not close to a prosecution. It is a broken wing.
Note the stadium is carefully NOT mentioned, the FARCE is so well elaborated and scripted by all bit players.
Blame is attached firmly to Bachop (main party line from DCC counsel), and now to the supposed cad, whistleblower Lee Vandervis.
“Mr Harland strongly took issue with Cr Lee Vandervis saying his legacy was one of a “self-serving bureaucracy that has cost Dunedin dear”. “I find those comments disrespectful to all of those council employees, many of whom give service well beyond the call of their contract terms.””
Await the next regrettable instalment.
(Stephens, a ghostly presence and chime)
*Images redrawn and reworked by whatifdunedin
Oh dear. Athol is shy of phone calls too. Keep up the good work, Media.
I suspect that next he might even go so far as apologising for being a man – as you do these days.
Apparently!
REAL news at ODT is Pavlova, trifle top of the Dunedin Christmas puds
Process and policy butter no parsnips. What’s needed is alertness and quick responses, and consequences.
Jim Harland said what he had to. Can’t blame him for that. When you are deep in ‘doggy doo’ you adopt the first principles. You lie, you fudge, you forget certain happenings, you seek to place blame where it is least likely to respond, like dead people, you the look around to see who is the most dangerous person (Lee Vandervis) then you castigate him and attempt to neutralise him, then if all that fails threaten legal action and defamation and things like that. You never, never, ever, admit any fault at your feet whatsoever. If all that fails you ‘bugger off’ into the mist. (like Malcolm).
I note Harland wants to be remembered for the good things in order to salve his reputation. Things like Toitu and new waste management system. No mention of the stadium. No wonder.
The breathtaking hypocrisy of the man! He singlehandedly in ten short years took the city’s debt from $35 million to $360 million. He presided over the Chin trimesters which pushed through – against much opposition – the Forsyth Barr Stadium project. It was he who arranged for the purchase of Carisbrook for the sum of $7.5 million, claiming that this figure would relieve the ORFU of its debt burden thus securing ORFU as anchor tenant for the FBS. This in fact never eventuated and Carisbrook was subsequently sold for just $3.5 million – which has yet to be paid. The financial ‘gerrymandering’ which went on to finance the ‘not a penny over $188 million’ FBS will go down as the ‘biggest’ fraud in the city’s history. Yet this man, in his statement on his tenure fails to so much as mention any of these debacles. Instead he rails against Cr Lee Vandervis describing his (Harland’s) actions as “a self-serving bureaucracy which has cost Dunedin dearly”. Harland has what might be described as “zero credibility”.
Correction Calvin. The Chin / Brown Trimesters.
Harland moves down the ODT online homepage to obscurity, started as top billing.
It’s now past 1 pm, sinking out of sight like the proverbial.
Yep, Harland has completely dropped off the ODT homepage – little more than 15 minutes of fame ?!
(relegated to ‘Dunedin news’)
http://www.odt.co.nz/news
‘Instead he rails against Cr Lee Vandervis describing his (Harland’s) actions as “a self-serving bureaucracy which has cost Dunedin dearly”.’
‘Scuse me, have I missed something? Is there any microscopic scintilla of inaccuracy about Vandervis’s description of Harland?
To be sure he could have added supporting details, he could have presented reams of evidence in support of that description but as a precis it’s bullseye. For bullshit look elsewhere….
Harland dumps on the finance dept, but won’t mention names. Well, I wonder whom he is referring to? Stephens will know he can’t rely on his old boss when the final crunch comes. A bit of downward accountability from Jimbo.
Why won’t the ODT allow comments on Harlands defence of his position? Surely they could censor anything close to the bone. I find it very disconcerting that our major paper has decided ratepayers should have no opportunity to respond.
Mayor’s Xmas pep talk to DCC staff:
You all know the drill so repeat after me –
– at all times I believed Bachop was authorised to sell me that vehicle
– the Police serve us not the community
– the “lunatic fringe” is not my latest hairstyle.
– Vandervis is not a bloody legend
– the stadium is an ASSET
Again but louder!!!
And in an unrelated memorandum to those staff:
– all council departments are required to increase their “community services” advertisements by 20% in Allied Press publications.
The less opportunity for discussion, the sooner the topic will fade from the public’ attention. This is the ideal time to drop unpleasant news on the public. Remember all the times unpopular moves by the government of the day announced increased fees, decreased rights and so on? And remember the frequent business or department downsizing or closure?
People read the original story, feel anger, distress etc, but there is nothing they can do other than talk about it with a few other people, but what with holidays and Christmas presents and relatives, immediate matters have to be dealt with.
But if there are comments appearing in the paper and online, the story keeps on being current. Opinions are expressed, other facts are told, people may become better informed and may find that there is something that can actually be done. Depending on the issue, there may be recourse in law. Pressure may be put on politicians, who may react if it is enough to be less unpleasant to take action than to be constantly prodded and petitioned. Some people may reassess their opinion of MPs and councillors, which could affect how they vote next time and whether they give the current ones a hard time till next election.
You see, silencing comments is no random decision: it is a profoundly political action.
Now that there is a little more out in the wash, so to speak, it is worth giving some examples on how all this could have been achieved. Hypothetically of course, you understand. A staff member is in urgent need of a new private vehicle after their current vehicle breaks down. They ask around the office and someone mentions that it might be worth giving Brent Bachop a call to see if there are any fleet vehicles about to go off to auction. In the same way in which Maurice P and Grant S sourced their vehicles. The staff member contacts Brent and pleads their case. They need a vehicle now but didn’t have the funds for a purchase as the mechanical breakdown was completely unplanned. Arrangements are made between Brent and the staff member for the sale and purchase of a small car which is due to be disposed of. A cash deposit of a couple of hundred dollars is paid to Brent and the full title of the vehicle is changed to the new owner. The new owner drives away happy. Over the course of the following year, the remainder of the vehicle is paid for in small cash payments every pay day. The car is now long gone and there are no suspicious movements of large amounts of cash. An extra couple of hundred dollars a week in your back pocket, that’s not enough to raise suspicion. Could have just as easily won it on the horses.
That’s how you get away with the small stuff. Other tricks, such as ordering and paying for a new vehicle, registering that vehicle into the vehicle database, and then cancelling the purchase allowing for the same vehicle to be resold as new, that takes a bit more planning.
The wires will keep supplying snippets through into January of what went down and how. Algud.
I simply don’t know how long ODT will keep the garage doors down, should the all-knowing Dunedin Community wish to debate or reinforce the type and extent of the Cityfleet fraud, and the identities of all involved (looks like a job for other news media) — the Citifleet fraud, of course, being worth way more than DCC’s convenient stab of $1.5 million (read $3-5 million?). Will the insurance company take an action against the Council if evidence is strong enough to suggest the claim made is not kosher. Will the widow take an action against Council. Will gangs turn their muscle to new business with DCC (as Dave has been keen to push – nothing like a little lawn mowing…). Largely rhetorical questions for now, but if they gain legs in the New Year, what then. And how are the police informants getting on, now that’s an interesting question. For that matter, how are Dunedin police.
Nothing, nobody, is tidy at all – is my best estimation.
Loving this, as mentioned at What if? some months ago….
Dunedin City Motors, the former dealership Anngow Motors and the former dealership Armstrong Mazda were investigated. Before long a non public version of the Deloitte report will surface mysteriously to counter the DCC’s blackouts/redactions. I’m not sure the Council has any ability to stop this happening. Too much skin involved.
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### ODT Online Wed, 24 Dec 2014
Identify car yards – dealers
By Debbie Porteous
Dunedin motor vehicle dealers are anxious to dissociate themselves from the Citifleet fraud, saying the car yards involved need to be named publicly to stop suspicion falling on all. Deloitte’s investigation of the fraud identified three Dunedin car dealers involved in buying and selling DCC cars from council fleet manager Brent Bachop during the 10-year $1.59 million fraud.
Read more
‘ “We’re a small town. It’s shocking and there needs to be some accountability,” the dealer said, anonymously.
Another said there was no doubt Mr Bachop had done wrong, but it was “a shame” all the blame was landing at Mr Bachop’s door when the necessary involvement of others was “being swept under the carpet”.’ http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/328175/identify-car-yards-dealers
The car dealers who weren’t in on this are not happy. I predict that names will be named pretty soon because they are VERY keen to distance themselves from the bad smell.
Is it going to come as a huge surprise to anyone that one of the mentioned dealerships (which I believe has previously been noted here) was a major sponsor of the hot rod club that Brent Bachop was president of ? Is it going to come as an equally large surprise to anyone that a sales manager for one of the mentioned dealerships trained and competed with Brent Bachop in team triathlon events ? Who could say ?
It’s a bit like the Swann fraud. Many of those who enjoyed his largess, I understand, walked away embarrassed from being associated with the creep.
Maybe that’s life. Some people, you wish you hadn’t once associated with, against your better judgement. I guess some people are better at reading the bad guy behind the nice guy facade.
Isn’t there a word we need to lose promptly? Hint, it’s in here “to counter the DCC’s blackouts/redactions”.
This was done to letters home during the war, they were censored to remove information that could have been helpful to the enemy. There is no need for the word “censored” to be censored out of existence, indeed the euphemism appears to be an attempt at hiding the truth – quelle surprise.
In Joseph Heller’s Catch22:
“All the officer patients in the ward were forced to censor letters written by all the enlisted-men patients, who were kept in residence in wards of their own. It was a monotonous job, and Yossarian was disappointed to learn that the lives of enlisted men were only slightly more interesting than the lives of officers. After the first day he had no curiosity at all. To break the monotony he invented games. Death to all modifiers, he declared one day, and out of every letter that passed through his hands went every adverb and adjective. The next day he made war on articles. He reached a much higher plane of creativity the following day when he blacked out everything in the letters but a, an and the. That erected more dynamic intralinear tensions, he felt, and in just about every case left a message far more universal.”
I noted at about 6am that it was possible to log in to the ODT on-line service on the Citifleet story and now it’s not possible. Why?
Quite clear from the actions of the DCC and of the ODT that they want this story to vanish.
Surely the insurers have been alerted to the fact that many more people than Brent Bachop were involved in this? And it is abundantly clear how it all worked – people knowing that they could get cheap cars with no payment to the DCC. Accessory to the fact isn’t it? So next question is how well connnected are the beneficiaries of the fraud?
Two Degrees of Michael Swann
Swann -> Anngow Motor Company -> Brent Bachop
Anngow Motor Company changed their name to A Motor Company in the wake of the Swann fraud. Why? Who else left town or ceased trading after that? Who else at DCC liked motor vehicles as much as Bachop or Swann did?
Anonymous. I suggest you send your last question to Millionaire Hot Seat. One of the easier ones early on in the show.
5.5.2007 Founder of Anngow legacy ‘always mechanic’ [Source: ODT]
http://www.drivesouth.co.nz/newsitem/1030/founder-of-anngow-legacy-always-mechanic039
Pandora’s box is open. The fringe lunatic Dave is desperately trying to close it. Too late, even the ODT can’t do that. 2015 is looking like becoming Dave’s ‘annus horribilis’. Or should that be ‘up anus erectus’? Either way, the city is in for some unedifying truths.
Well and truly open, Calvin. Disturbing criminal convictions received by a former manager during their employment period with DCC now coming to light. Skillfully hidden by DCC at the time with the help of court ordered name supression. One could argue that the repeat offending and subsequent conviction received didn’t affect the manager’s ability to incompetently carry out their duties, but I’m not convinced that the ratepayers would have been comfortable having such a person on the public payroll.
Disturbing news indeed! That this person was in the system but skillfully hidden seems bizarre. Is this a case of cronyism or incompetence? Not hard to guess who the CEO was at the time. Dave certainly has some skeletons crawling out of the cupboard now. His failure to face up to to the issues are showing. As Peter says the Biggie is the Stadium with its multiple tentacles reaching into the citizens pockets at every turn. Cull does not seem to see the incongruity of the latest DCHL and DV!L director appointments. It is these failings which will eventually overwhelm his tenure and leave the city in a sad position because of him. 2015 will be an interesting time indeed.
I think the DCC could better ‘market’ themselves by fully opening the corruption from within and say, ‘Look at what we are clearing up.’ My fear is that with people, like Dave, they run scared, worried about the negative image for the city, and try to minimise/cover up the problems within. It worries me that any reform stalls from this point on.
People won’t blame the present council for unearthing corruption. They will praise them and think that, thank God, things are on the mend. They will only condemn the council, as they are presently, for minimising corruption and not seeking accountability.
The big fraud, that makes Citifleet look like peanuts, is of course the stadium scandal. The appalling stadium review makes me think the reforms, to clean up corruption, have stalled. The council seems to be firmly directed by outside interests to tone things down and ‘move on’.
Maybe they are praying for another dead guy to ping the whole thing on? Trouble is this time there are too many players with dirty hands.
“My fear is that with people, like Dave, they run scared, worried about the negative image for the city, and try to minimise/cover up the problems within.”
Indeed, Peter.
Instead there is an intermittent flow of grubby news keeping Dunedin in the media. On and on it goes, until the name “Dunedin” becomes a shorthand term for rorts + white collar crime + eyewatering incompetence. The joke city, just as Waikikamukau was the joke work for hicksville, and Hamilton for … well, you get it.
Unfortunately Dave doesn’t.
Yes, Hype, outsiders will see the ‘grubby news’ coming out, regardless. Better for the council to be seen to be on top of it…. and acting…. than continue the ‘moving on’ scenario… only to be caught up in the next suppressed rort that rears its ugly head. Proactive always looks stronger than reactive. Deal with the rorts…. and then move on.
Besides one huge news dump is sooner forgotten than years of scandals dragged out of a council unwilling to acknowledge shameful facts let alone do anything about them. Not only does that look like Coverup City, it looks like Failed Coverup City.
‘Giggletown’! That sounds about right, as long as you don’t live there.
Was having a few beers with an old mate at the Ashburton Hotel recently. He knew all about what was going on in Dunedin, and said that it couldn’t happen up there. I asked why not, and he passed me the local rag. The CEO of the Ashburton council was inside the front page explaining to the gullible Mid-Canterbury public how he had his finger on the pulse. I handed back the local rag to my old mate, and asked him if he knew who was running the new Ashburton multimillion-dollar swimming complex. He said no, but why. I replied that I wouldn’t spoil his Christmas.
When you get tired of playing the Two Degrees of Michael Swann game, you can always try the last craze variation, Fraser McGrouther.
Currently, Sales Manager – Dunedin City Mazda. Friend and team mate (sport) of the late Brent Bachop – see cover photo at Fraser McG’s Facebook page https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=512476738880448&id=100003543792846&set=a.512476758880446.1073741827.100003543792846&source=44&refid=17
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/313512/friends-left-struggling-answers – “[At Facebook] another of Mr Bachop’s friends, Fraser McGrouther, on May 24: “This week I lost one of my best friends – Brent Bachop. We had many great times together running, cycling, adventure racing, at grease day, and just mainly being friends. Life will carry on but there will always be a huge void that you filled. Rest easy my dear friend. I miss you so much!””
Will play some more later this morning.
Thought for a moment the Otago Daily Times had stepped up but the article $131 million lies begging wasn’t about fraud at the Dunedin City Council. The number was too low anyway. But there was a glimmer of hope in Police asset seizures send message where the reporter writes “Last year, the ODT reported 14 assets with an estimated value of $862,105.22 had been forfeited across Otago and Southland” but checking closely that number was just $800,000. Not the $800,000,000 stolen from the Dunedin City ratepayer. Good old Woodlouse: A man who wants to be seen on the frontline while ignoring the GOBs up the back.
Doesn’t take a whole lot of digging, Elizabeth, to find more spokes within DCC (past, at least) on that connection wheel.
Thanks Phil. Anything more, or other leads always welcome on or off line.
I have a conundrum with an event at the stadium earlier this year that involves a manager and personal protection, a similar disposition to Bachop, and a Rodder.
Eventually the pieces click.
Former DCC general manager Tony Avery, written up as being on the [2014] Dunedin City Mazda Masters Team (‘challenges’)…. Kevin Thompson on another team, Darren Burden ditto. What a lovely bunch of testosterone-clouded gym bunnies and co-competitors, which Phil casually arrows.
More to come, said the Outlier.
Guys who are into expensive cars/ motor bikes often have to impress as a result of their inadequate masculinity… ie they are either fat, puny or lousy in the sack. Well,that’s my theory!
Some even have a fleet of such cars.
What can one say about Brent? he was a pretty simple guy who took over a job where his predecessors had been on the take for years. There is no excuse for what he did and the hundreds who attended his funeral, who loved him, or in my case were his friends have had trouble coming to terms with what has happened. The idea that Brent did all this alone is quite ridiculous, those who turned a blind eye, who knew the price they were paying could not be right but bought the car anyway. The dealers who must have known they were paying well under market value, staff at the DCC who must have known things were not as they should be but chose to ignore the signs. Brent’s family have been to hell and back, they are the victims here, they are the ones who cannot escape what for them is an ongoing nightmare. The Brent I knew was a kind and generous person who I wish had chosen to face his punishment, he would have been supported, he would have ultimately been forgiven and moved forward with his life. He was not in this alone, he was not some criminal Mastermind. He was a guy who got himself into something he could no longer control. For the DCC to now conveniently use him as a scapegoat speaks volumes about their integrity and morality. The inquiry has been inadequate and has failed to rigorously investigate others who must have been involved, who must have understood the prices they were paying did not reflect proper market value. To those who wrote cheques made out to Brent Bachop and not the DCC, or those who just handed over cash. There will be many still having sleepless nights, many who must know they are standing by hoping a dead man will carry the can for them and no more questions will be asked. I wonder how long it will be before someone finally breaks their silence and spills the beans on the whole tragic and sorry episode.
Will the Dunedin City Ford (as it was then) sponsorship of the Highlanders over some years come under any scrutiny?
Anonymous, on more than one occasion it has been asked of ‘officialdom’ if Citifleet has connection with ‘Otago Rugby’ (loosely stated, as it may have been ORFU and or Highlanders in previous years prior to their restructuring); and if so, noting the ability (same breath) for Deloitte to stray from its DCC investigation to DVML or CST, which would abruptly lead Deloitte to have a massive conflict of interest — because it has provided accounting services to ORFU during the POKIE YEARS of Jokers Bars etc.
I believe we are totally at that dark moment in the money trail for professional rugby – and why the stadium review and the Citifleet investigations have been so lightweight and so questionably managed to scare off horses. Needless to say here are Clydesdales and the Crimes Act together, for Scrutiny. Including Dunedin City Ford, and others.
Steve, I think that we all appreciate your comments on the boards. My own impressions of Brent are similar to yours and others in many ways. Face to face, a nice guy. Not the sharpest knife out there, but he did appear to be trying to do the best for his department during my professional dealings with him. It is that side which makes the other side all the more difficult. Most of us agree that Brent found himself in the middle of a pre-existing situation. I think that everyone also accepts that it would have been almost impossible for Brent to carry out what he did, for the length of time that he did, without some additional internal knowledge or support. By the same token, we would have to accept that his predecessor would also have required internal support. So it is going to be impossible to know at what point Brent first became aware of the situation. What his rationale was in making his final decision, I guess we will never know. Maybe it was for selfish reasons, maybe it was so that it would be easier to explain away in years to come. No one will ever know for sure.
That no one with the motor trade industry even suspected that something may be wrong with the sale and purchase of DCC fleet vehicles borders on professional negligence, in my opinion. While the company owners may not have been aware, those who signed off on the purchases had been working for enough years to know what felt right and what felt wrong. One can only hope that the corrective processes being carried out with the DCC are also being carried out by the dealerships involved as the public has to right to have confidence when dealing with both public and private professionals.
I do maintain that those who sought out Brent within the DCC for purchase of a fleet vehicle, for the most part, genuinely thought they were getting a good deal from DCC. That’s why they went there in the first place. There were many such deals available exclusively to DCC. Paint was cheap from a particular supplier, as were (I believed noted by the ODT) tyres. Ethically completely wrong, but legally it was all there in the employee handbook at the time. In the time since this has come to light, there have been a number of people who have chosen to hide behind the legality curtain and have chosen to completely ignore the personal integrity issue of ethics. As with the other discounts, we all knew that we were being offered something that wasn’t being offered to the public in general. That is especially important when considering an item originally purchased with public funds. Disappointing, but now most people know who they are. I agree entirely that the case against those who made payments direct to Brent Bachop (and those people are both internal and external) is much simpler. A reasonable person would have questioned.
Steve Lewis and Phil both agree that to believe that the ‘Citifleet’ case fell clearly at the feet of just one person is just not possible. Neither I suspect do many others who have followed the report. But that is what MayorDave Cull and CEO Sure Bidrose would have us believe. They, for whatever reason seem reluctant to grasp the nettle on this problem just as they did with the Stadium review. Why is not obvious but one can only think that there is more to all this than meets the eye. I guess we will just have to wait and see, but the situation as it is is far from being resolved. “Oh what wondrous webs we weave when once we practice to deceive”.
Believing “that the ‘Citifleet’ case fell clearly at the feet of just one person” doesn’t ‘alf make life simpler. The alternative is putting a hell of a lot of “paperwork” under the microscope, and that’s only one part of it. What about the people who were on the spot during the relevant period – which extends well back from Mr Bachop’s – and aren’t now? Left the DCC with fond farewells and write-ups about how valuable their contribution had been, then there are spotlights shone on these contributions and questions about who was doing the contributing. It’s a lot of extra work, extra time, extra expense.
To the outsiders’ view it could look as if the whole place was full of rats, many of whom took a quick leap off the leaky ship “DCC Snafu”. And that suggests its captain and crew can’t tell rats from rainbows.
Incentive for pursuing uncomfortable truths: zero. Incentive for looking like one’s Doing Something Really Important, cycle lanes to save the whole planet for instance instead of petty clean-ups of one’s own quarters: massive.
Hype, now is the time for the ODT to step up to the plate. It surely is the function of a daily com!unity newspaper to analyze and report to the people. Especially when it concerns matters of the fraudulent use of the citizens’ treasure. How else are they to be advised and protected. Obviously not by our elected Mayor or CEO. The blatant refusal to allow comment on its own website tells a story which in itself is disturbing.
@Calvin Oaten
December 28, 2014 at 2:57 pm
Hype, now is the time for the ODT to step up to the plate.
I wouldn’t be holding my breath on that one Calvin if you look at who has backed this inept mayor and ‘his’ group over the last 2 elections. They won’t be stepping up to any plate. They would more likely start telling ‘good news’ stories – about anything – somewhere else. Diversionary tactics. A bit like the mayor did on the ‘Checkpoint’ interview.
With Cull and Bidrose it will be a case of who blinks first in the new year and especially under assault of consultation on the Draft Annual Plan/LTP.
The new Draft Plan will be a baptism of fire for our intrepid Mayor and Councillors. It will be interesting to see them wimp out on the hard questions. Dave won’t be able to say no as per usual, and the 3% rate limit will either be under fire or the debt level will be breeched. Ladies and gentlemen place your bets.
The three mousecateers: Murray Kirkness, Nick Smith, Julian Smith. Time for each to champion common sense (that is, they’re tired of Cull). So far though, each of the three avoids making any logical investment in investigative reporting or decent gear for Ch39 operators. Gents, this is the time to be freaking merry!
In fact, it would be a whole lot better for Dunedin if the Smiths and Kirkness stayed out of politics, and got right out of the stadium business altogether. Then they could concentrate on the news we all want for the health of this city and district.
I must’ve had too much sun today.
One can’t bracket the Mayor and the CEO in terms of attitude. The CEO is the employee and must do exactly as directed. The difficulty is when that direction is being given by the Mayor directly, as opposed to entire Council. The breach will come when an external party fronts up with incontrovertible evidence of wider corruption that has been left out of the terms of reference.
The mayor, the chief executive, the former chief executive. All say one man did it. Not one has any spine. Each one is making use of the bracket. They who dare support the Deloitte report / insurance claim for their own ends, no matter the difference in how it is read. They who dare turn a blind eye to a limited police investigation? Read what Alex Brown has to say at the post Dunedin: Watching the detectives. The stench around the Deloitte report / insurance claim and the individuals’ public statements are one and the same set of brackets.
Personally, I don’t appreciate being lied to, not with a witness present.
I’ve also been lied to, with a witness present. Two, in fact.
The local govt reforms separated the roles of councillors and council employees to the usual OTT degree, note the bitch-slapping Lee Vandervis got for trying to get something done sensibly.
The CEO is employed, sure. Having been appointed she has considerable latitude to get on with her duties (in the contract, not day to day instructions from the Mayor!). Do we think Harland was instructed by the Mayor of the time to do what he did? I don’t. I may be an exception though.
You don’t have to look very far to see the differences between Mayors and CEOs in Dunedin and the divergences in their approaches to the authority exercised and expected. Think Sukhi Turner and Murray Douglas for example. There is a wide degree of divergence.
It is not only cars that were gained fraudulently from the DCC. What about those who knowingly where hooked into the city water supply, both on the Peninsula and Mosgiel, and never paid their water rates. Have they got a dead man to blame that one on?
Dolly did it.
Extract from “Identify car yard dealers” – ODT 25 Dec 2014
“Mr Anngow said he was not privy to the company’s dealings with Mr Bachop, which were always conducted by Anngow staff.
He had “absolutely no idea” if anything untoward was going on, but if he had become aware of any of the behaviour suggested by Deloitte, he would have “recognised that was not kosher”, he said.” [ends]
Mr Anngow has given us quite a different view from the excuses provided to Lee Vandervis by Detective Preece, as to why the receivers were not being investigated. Mr Anngow’s statement dropped crooked car dealers right in it by implying they should have recognised the dirty deals.
—
{Link added. -Eds}
The question for Mr Anngow might be, does his right hand know what his left hand is up to. Under cross examination where would he go?
Am I missing something?
When Bachop disposed of vehicles, one assumes they were replaced with brand new vehicles at considerable expense. If he was disposing the vehicles outside of the vehicles age and/or kilometres policy, does it not imply there are huge $$ losses to DCC in purchasing new vehicles that may or may not have been needed and who supplied all those new vehicles?
“Lying to Lee Vandervis” may be a competitive sport among a sector of Dunedin society. Have you considered that, Alex?
From the exchanges I am in little doubt that Bidrose and Cull had already briefed the Dunedin Police about what to say to Lee Vandervis. The Police did not want the extra work and Cull did not want the extra scandal – both happy to fill the gaps in the insurance claim and collect !!!
Passing mention. Pete George at Your NZ blog sums up:
Semi-support of Brent Bachop #1
Posted 28 Dec 2014
http://yournz.org/2014/12/28/semi-support-of-brent-bachop-1/
Semi-support of Brent Bachop #2
Posted 28 Dec 2014
http://yournz.org/2014/12/28/semi-support-of-brent-bachop-2/
Interesting.
This at Old Friends:
Paul Jordan (Memories from Dunedin City Council): “my time at dcc was enjoyable my boss’s name was bob heath and he was manager of citifleet”
http://www.oldfriends.co.nz/Memories.aspx?id=2722742&page=3
Jordan is now 48 years old and living in Canterbury.
http://www.oldfriends.co.nz/MemberProfile.aspx?oldfriends_member_id=1097590
His history of employment shows:
Dunedin City Council (1993-2004)
Armstrong Prestige (2004-2005)
Mark Laughton Motors (2006-2007)
This and further information recorded by screenshots. Subscribe to Old friends to read the entries.
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Old Friends:
Kevin Thompson is 57 years old and living in Otago.
Work for the Dunedin City Council as the Regulatory Services Group Manager (Building Services, Environmental Health, Animal Control, Alcohol Licensing and Parking Services), married to Karen for 30 years and have a 21 year old son Liam who is studying Civil Engineering at Canterbury University. Live in Dunedin. In spare time I enjoy mountain biking, kayaking, trout spin/fly fishing and hunting.
After leaving school at Dunedin:
NZ Scots (1975-1992)
2nd Squadron NZ Scottish Regiment (1975-1992)
…
Dunedin City Council (1997-2002)
Dunedin City Council (2002 – Now)
http://www.oldfriends.co.nz/MemberProfile.aspx?oldfriends_member_id=26413
[Note: Kevin Thompson resigned as DCC Regulatory Group Manager on 1 September 2014 as a result of the council’s Citifleet investigation. -Eds]
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/314436/second-dcc-manager-resigns-over-citifleet
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/314758/dcc-manager-bought-vehicle-citifleet
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From What if? archives, this from Cr Richard Walls on the Harrop St carpark (for council vehicles):
Richard
July 20, 2009 at 3:52 am
Somehow David, I do not think that will find much favour with Elizabeth, Kate, Fliss, Ted, Judith et al, not forgetting the rock wall climbers!!
Whatever, I take some credit for the fact that it is still an open space. Late in the 1986-89 council, a proposal came to build a (I think) 3-storeyed carpark on the site for council vehicles. It did not proceed but resurfaced soon after I became Mayor.
My questions: why do we need a carpark for council vehicles; then why so many vehicles anyway?
I won’t bore you with the answers but what resulted was a complete rationalisation of the council fleet (e.g. each department no longer had their own cars to use or park all day , the establishment of the ‘carpool’ now known as Citifleet and the selling off of numerous vehicles by the late, inimitable, Bob Heath, netting (I recall) about $650,000.
Bob then oversaw the tidying up of the carpark area, the building of the wall etc in conjunction with a prison work scheme utilising volunteers and at a fraction of the cost that the ‘engineers’ estimated it would cost!
Strange that Kevin doesn’t list the internet as one of his more favourite hobbies. At least, according to the official record, up until 2006.
Tomorrow’s ODT covers how DCC is continuing to close gaps in its processes as a result of the Citifleet fraud investigation.
There is some audacity attaching to this given the Citifleet insurance scam that no-one including the mayor and the chief executive will admit to. But let the record show…. (see post at top of thread as well as Vandervis: Deloitte and Police Citifleet investigations and Dunedin: Watching the detectives).
### ODT Online Tue, 3 Mar 2015
Look at audit, disposal policies
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council is continuing to close the gaps in its defences in the wake of the $1.5 million Citifleet fraud. Councillors at today’s audit and risk subcommittee meeting will consider a new internal audit policy, and an updated asset disposal and write-off policy, which aimed to better protect the organisation against fraud.
Read more
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Agenda – Audit – 03/03/2015 (PDF, 105.3 KB)
Report – Audit – 03/03/2015 (PDF, 164.7 KB)
Audit and Risk Subcommittee Work Plan
Report – Audit – 03/03/2015 (PDF, 63.2 KB)
Governance/Financial Policies
Report – Audit – 03/03/2015 (PDF, 363.9 KB)
Updated Internal Audit Policy (Draft)
Report – Audit – 03/03/2015 (PDF, 216.7 KB)
Updated Asset Disposal and Write-off Policy and Procedures
Report – Audit – 03/03/2015 (PDF, 1.7 MB)
Significance and Engagement Policy
Report – Audit – 03/03/2015 (PDF, 38.1 KB)
Long Term Plan Update