Auditor general to investigate Zinck

Nova Scotia's auditor general has been called in to investigate MLA Trevor Zinck’s alleged expense irregularities.

Nova Scotia Speaker Charlie Parker forwarded Zinck’s expense claims to the auditor general on Friday.

Parker said Zinck was reimbursed for certain office expenses, such as power and rent, but didn't immediately use the money to pay those bills.

Wednesday Zinck was suspended from the NDP caucus for "persistent problems" with his MLA expense account.

On Friday, the MLA for Dartmouth North fired back at the NDP, saying he was advised last fall by the party to quit in order to qualify for a $45,000 payout before the government got rid of the perk.

"What was stated to me at that point was I had options, and that taking the buyout was the option and to go away," Zinck told talk radio station News 95.7 on Friday.

Premier Darrell Dexter denied Zinck’s allegation.

"It didn’t happen. I think what we’re seeing is someone who is trying to deal with difficulties in his life. I think he’s trying to find ways to shift the focus, and it’s frankly difficult to watch," Dexter said.

Zinck did not show up at the Nova Scotia legislature on Friday.

Thursday Zinck admitted in an interview with CBC News that he had drinking and gambling problems.

The mounting pressures of running his constituency office without an assistant and the serious health problems of his father contributed to him drinking more and gambling online, he said.

"Unfortunately, with all the stresses that came into play, I had started to drink more and I had started to have a problem with online gambling. I, at that point, thought that in my best interests, I had better get some help with this," Zinck told CBC News.

Last month, Auditor General Jacques Lapointe slammed the province's expense system, saying several politicians had filed "excessive and unreasonable" claims, in part because of inadequate spending controls.