REVEALED: Health NZ spent nearly half a million dollars on single ad campaign

Health New Zealand spent $490,043.75 on a single advert featuring former Lotto presenter Russell Harrison, documents obtained by the Taxpayers’ Union reveal for the first time.

Harrison, who remained suspended from the Ministry of Justice on full pay for years, was paid $3,000 to appear in the 30-second advertisement.

Taxpayers’ Union Spokesman Tyler Groenewald said:

“The $3,000 payment to Russell Harrison might grab the headlines, but the real scandal is that taxpayers were charged nearly half a million dollars for a 30-second ad."

“This was not a nationwide rebrand or a major emergency public information drive. It was one advertisement costing $490,043.75."

“Health NZ has a legitimate role in communicating important health messages, but nearly half a million dollars for a single ad is impossible to justify while patients face long waits and frontline services remain under pressure."

“If this is what one ad costs, Health NZ must come clean about how much it is spending on advertising overall. Every dollar wasted on glossy campaigns is a dollar not spent cutting waitlists or improving patient care.”