REVEALED: Christchurch Ratepayers Fork Out $1.36 Million For Ngāi Tahu Consultancy

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal through a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request that Christchurch City Council has paid $1,359,152.83 (GST exc.) to Mahaanui Kurataiao over the past three financial years under an ongoing funding arrangement with the six Ngãi Tahu Papatipu Rūnanga within the area.

Council has refused to provide a cost breakdown under LGOIMA sections 7(2)(b)(ii) and 7(2)(h) to protect the "commercial position" and "commercial activities" of this spending.

Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator Rhys Hurley said:

“Ratepayers are being kept in the dark while over a million dollars flows to a single consultancy group.”

"Everything from regulatory decisions to advising council on Ngai Tahu values is being used to get more out of ratepayers."

“The Council’s refusal to release invoices isn't about commercial sensitivity but a lack of transparency over where this money is actually going.”

“Over the same time Christchurch residents have faced average rates rises of nearly 25 percent, they deserve to know why such large sums are being handed out without proper public scrutiny.”