Copy of reply from the office of the Controller and Auditor General 7 May 1998 Our Ref: LG5-4C Mr J M Stevenson Director Centre for Psycho-sociological Development 7 McCurdy Street DUNEDIN 9001 Dear Mr Stevenson Thank you for your letter of 15 April 1998 in which you raised concerns regarding Dunedin City Council using Taskforce Green staff. We have had some discussions with the New Zealand Employment Service and read the guidelines that the Service has released. We note that the work should be "additional to the normal work of the organisation" and should not displace existing workers. It is clear that existing workers have not been displaced as at the time of the employment of the Taskforce Green staff, the work had not been done. It would also be reasonable to argue that the work was outside the the normal activities of Council, in that it was required to bring certain information up to date. On balance, bearing in mind the nature of the work and the intent of the guidelines released, we have been unable to identify any illegality arising from the circumstances you have mentioned. Yours sincerely, Kevin Brady Assistant Auditor-General