Russ Jones took over the position of B.C.’s auditor general yesterday as his controversial predecessor John Doyle left for a similar job in his native Australia.
Jones was sworn in as acting auditor general. His appointment will run until an independent committee of the legislative assembly finds a new permanent auditor general.
Jones started working in the auditor’s office in 1980 and was appointed assistant acting auditor general in 1993. He’s also served as financial audit and chief financial officer.
Jones is a chartered accountant with a masters degree in business from Simon Fraser University and sits on the public sector accounting board.
“My goal is to carry on this Office’s tradition of excellence, relevance and providing public value. I aim to leave it operationally and spiritually strong for the next auditor general,” he said in a release.
He paid tribute to the “inroads” Doyle built during his term in office.
Doyle had applied for a second six-year term, but the committee could not unanimously agree on his reappointment, touching off a vicious public debate that eventually saw the government introduce term-limit legislation and Doyle take a job elsewhere.
In March, the government amended the Auditor General Act to limit future auditor general appointments to single eight-year terms, as opposed to the previous six-year term, with the option of a second six-year extension.
The next auditor general will have an eight-year term.
