19.06.2015

Auckland Council’s ‘Foreign Affairs’ Dept. not a ratepayers responsibility

News that Sir Bob Harvey had been appointed Ambassador for Auckland is being received with outrage by ratepayers who are facing a 9.5% rate increase on July 1st – including the $114 Transport Targeted Rate.

Auckland Council, through its wholly-owned Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) ATEED, already has men in London and Melbourne and a woman in San Francisco paid for out of rates.

This people have been appointed to encourage economic development by bringing new business to the SuperCity – businesses which will no doubt expect to make profits from their operations.

It is hard to see any direct benefit to ratepayers except via the notorious, and unaccountable, ‘trickle-down’ effect.

This brings into question whether or not ratepayers should be funding and subsidising economic development activities.

Sir Bob Harvey will no doubt do a good job representing the city, and will apparently function out of the Mayor’s office.

No word has been issued about the position of the current Ambassador, Sir John Walker, who is at present in London.

Maybe Auckland needs a Home Secretary or Minister of Internal Affairs to sort the many problems the present Council faces, such as the Unitary Plan and the Transport Plan and even the outdated Auckland Plan.

Time we withdrew from our overseas meanderings, or get someone else to pay the bills.

Ends.

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