The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Waka Kotahi and Auckland Transport have spent $44,480.74 on the opening ceremony for the Puhoi to Warkworth highway. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Callum Purves, commented:

“Clearly Waka Kotahi still hasn’t learnt their lesson after last year’s Transmission Gully opening ceremony fiasco. It’s simply outrageous that Waka Kotahi and Auckland Transport think spending just shy of $45,000 on a massive party is anything close to an acceptable use of taxpayers’ hard-earned money.

“In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis caused by reckless Government overspending, this Government has just hiked tax on petrol by 29c per litre and road user charges by 56%. This tax grab goes straight into the National Land Transport Fund, which Waka Kotahi clearly thinks is appropriate to use to throw extravagant parties for public servants.

“After having been open for less than a month, the highway is already starting to crack up. Is it any wonder our roads are in such a state of disrepair when this is how the Government and public bodies waste taxpayers’ money?”

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