Judith Collins MP National Party Families Spokeswoman

3 August 2005

Families Commission costs double to $9 million

National Party Families spokeswoman Judith Collins says the Families Commission looks set to double its costs to $9 million, all of its allocated budget, despite already being criticised for wasting huge amounts of taxpayer dollars.

The commission's statement of intent was presented to Parliament yesterday, and shows that its costs will more than double over the next three years. Overall costs will rise from $4.27 million in the year to June 30, 2005, to $9.11 million in the year to June 30, 2008.

"It is appalling that despite multiple embarrassing spending failures, including former CEO Claire Austen's still undisclosed golden handshake, the commission will be spending even more taxpayer money," says Ms Collins.

"More than $670,000 in taxpayer money was spent on advertising and promotion for the commission's 'What makes your family tick' campaign - a campaign that was blatant Labour Party electioneering.

"The campaign involved sending out 15,000 surveys on a range of family issues. Only 2,890 were returned. What an absolute waste of time and money.

"Given the commission's track record on wasteful spending, can we now expect to see more useless surveys?

"Hard-working New Zealanders can look forward to more of their hard-earned income being wasted by this commission on more golden handshakes, useless surveys and blatantly party political advertising," says Ms Collins.

ENDS

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