REVEALED: Scootergate – Defence's $32,800 Joyride on the Taxpayer Dime

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal through an Official Information Act request that the New Zealand Defence Force has splurged $32,800 on e-scooters for Base Auckland from private operator Beam.

Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator, Rhys Hurley, said:

“Kiwis are doing it tough — cutting back on groceries, delaying holidays, and skipping takeaways. But while households have no money to play around with, the Defence Force is splashing out on rent-by-the-second electric scooter joyrides.”

“If zipping to the gym on overpriced e-scooters is what Defence top brass call value for money, it’s no wonder the books are blowing out.”

“The Defence Force has just been handed a $12 billion funding plan. If this is the starting point, taxpayers should buckle up — it’s going to be a rough ride.”

“With Budget 2025 exactly six weeks away, Ministers need to be going through the books line by line to root out waste like this. Because with $25 million being borrowed every day, the Government debt clock won’t slow down on its own.”