Ratepayers applaud cancelling business class entitlement

21 November 2017

“Auckland Council’s 7,000 bureaucrats don’t need to live the high life in business class when travelling economy will do,” says Jo Holmes from the Ratepayers’ Alliance.

An Auckland Council report found $1.1 million had been spent on international travel from the 20 months up until August this year. Of this, almost half, $509,212, was spent on 62 business-class flights.

“The Council’s CEO, Stephen Town, had no right to reject a motion by two Councillors to halt business and premier class travel, and increase transparency. This shut down by the CEO, preventing so much as the debate, is anti-democratic and shameful.”

“We are very concerned that the Council’s CEO has the power to reject any agenda item put forward by Councillors in this way. It goes a long way to explaining why the entitlement culture within Council staff is so prevalent. Spending on bureaucrats salaries alone blew out the budget by $42 million, so it is not surprising that they want Rolls-Royce travel to go along with their Rolls-Royce salaries.”

“It’s time for Mayor Phil Goff to show some mettle and support his Councillors calls to rein in Council spending at a time when ratepayers are being stung with extra rates, levies, and charges.”

ENDS

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