REVEALED: Cultural consultants cash in $1.365m while Dunedin rates soar

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal through a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request that Dunedin City Council (DCC) has spent a staggering $1.365 million over just three years on consultation with Aukaha—an iwi-owned consultancy firm—with ratepayers now hit by an average rates hike of 17.5%.

Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator Rhys Hurley said:

“Ratepayers expect their money to go toward fixing potholes, maintaining pipes, and keeping life affordable—not six-figure bills for cultural interpretations for cycleways. In a cost-of-living crisis, this looks less like cultural engagement and more like virtue-signaling with other people’s money.”

“Among the more eye-watering line items are $100,310 for Harbour City Cycleway cultural interpretation and $94,984 for George Street design work. If that wasn’t enough, the Council is cutting Aukaha a $750,000 cheque for handouts to clubs and groups.”

“The Government has rightly decided to scrap Councils’ focus on social and cultural ‘wellbeings’ and get them back to getting the basics right first, and it’s time Dunedin Council followed suit.”

“Ratepayers deserve roads that aren’t crumbling and bills that don’t break the bank—not more than $40,000 spent on consultancy for a landfill.”