Taxpayers group rips World Masters Games $30,000 ‘junket’ to Rio
Hereâs what the taxpayers group said, however:
While Aucklanders struggle to pay their rates, Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED) is spending tens of thousands of dollars of ratepayer money sending two staff on the ultimate junket to the Rio Olympics.
The Ratepayersâ Alliance can reveal that Steve Armitage, the GM of External Relations, and Susan Sawbridge, ATEEDâs Stakeholder Relations Manager, are at the Olympics this week despite both having no responsibility for major events or even working in the department responsible for attracting commercial investment to Auckland.
A spokesperson for the Ratepayersâ Alliance, Jo Holmes, says, âWhile you could understand a member of the Auckland World Masters Games organising team attending Rio, the two staff ATEED have sent have nothing to do with organising events. Itâs just a junket on our dime, plain and simple.â
âIf ATEED was at the Olympics to attract events or competitions to Auckland, they would have sent someone from their events department. Likewise, if they were there to promote Auckland investment, they would have sent someone who works in that area.â
âThis is just the sort of rort Auckland ratepayers are sick of, and why the Ratepayersâ Alliance was established. The next Council needs to stamp out this culture of waste and entitlement.â
Earlier this week the Ratepayersâ Alliance revealed that total spending on travel by the Council and CCOs totalled $7.6 million for the two years to July 2016.
One Response
So, let me get this straight….two members from the World Masters Games LOC went to the Olympics to “promote the World Masters” Games.
I would estimate that 99 percent of the participants at the Olympics are under the age of 30.
Don’t compound this lack of judgement by insulting everyone’s intelligence as well.
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