Lost $29 million satellite proves space pet projects need to end

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on all New Zealanders to “check their local lost and found” after the Environmental Defense Fund's taxpayer funded, $29 million dollar satellite had been deemed lost.

Taxpayers’ Union Communications Officer, Alex Emes, said:

“While it is true that the Government misplaces taxpayer money every minute, the fact that $29 million dollars of taxpayer money has just disappeared from the sky is a scary reality of the horrors New Zealand taxpayers face.

“The fact that the purpose of this project was to monitor carbon emissions is truly ironic. After this latest event, the EDF needs to ask themselves how many emissions they have created from putting a satellite in the sky only to have suddenly lost it.

“This proves it’s time for the Government to admit failure and stop funding space pet projects that are of no benefit to New Zealanders.”