The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal through an Official Information Act requestthat staff at the Ministry of Education were paid $414,119.68 by taxpayers to do 8,528 hours of union work.

This includes organising and advocating on behalf of the New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI), the Public Service Association (PSA) and the Association of Professional and Executive Employees (APEX).

The response shows under current agreements that:

• NZEI staff are entitled to two hours per week of union work for 12 staff, equalling 1,248 hours per year or an estimated $60,602.88 of paid work.
• PSA staff are entitled to two full time co-convenors and a minimum of 5 hours per week for 12 National Delegates, equalling staff time of 7,280 hours per year or an estimated $353,516.80 of paid work.
• The Ministry of Education has also confirmed that PSA co-convenors are provided with free office space within Ministry buildings and the 7 APEX delegates are entitled to "support to fulfil their role."

Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator, Rhys Hurley, said:

“This is a rort. Taxpayers are paying government employees to organise against the very system that employs them.”

“Ministry staff were paid to help coordinate strikes that last year left kids out of the classroom and parents forced to fund childcare. Minister Seymour has already announced that union strikes tanked school attendance last year."

“If a private company wouldn't pay staff to protest against itself, then why are taxpayers footing the bill for the Ministry to do so?"

"Somehow, when it’s done on the taxpayer’s dime, it’s seen as business as usual. Union work should be funded by union members, not by the public.”

The Taxpayers’ Union says the Government’s $10 million Ringatū marae announcement is election-year pork-barrel politics, funded through loosely-governed slush funds with little accountability to taxpayers.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:

“We heard the same excuses with the Murihiku Marae during COVID, when spending was dressed up as ‘job creation’. Now, in an election year, the Regional Infrastructure Fund is being treated as a political piggy bank.”

“This money is borrowed and signed off with minimal scrutiny, and future taxpayers will be left paying the bill, plus interest.”

“If the project genuinely stacks up, it should go through the normal Budget process, not be waved through under the cover of an election-year slush fund.”

The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that a Wellington City Council party, just weeks prior to the local body elections, to celebrate the signing of its new “sister city” agreement with Canberra, cost Wellington City ratepayers more than $51,000. The total cost included $14,850 spent on fashion models, ballet dancers and “contemporary performers” with $30,079.38 on “production costs” at the Public Trust Building to turn it into a party venue.

Whilst Wellington City Council blows tens of thousands on showy parties with dancers, drag-queens and DJs, ratepayers have been struck with annual rates increases of over 5% per year. Who on earth approved a two-hour shin-dig for 131 people, where the venue alone cost $30,000?

The Council says that sister city agreements bring economic opportunities to Wellington, but the vast majority of the guest list were those from the public sector.  It seems it was more about a lavish farewell party for the Mayor, rather than anything to do with promoting Wellington to Canberra.

If the Council genuinely wanted to promote economic growth in Wellington, it would learn to tighten its belt and cut out glitzy junkets like these. It defies belief that Councilors were not aware of the staggering costs of this party before it was held. They refused to answer our questions about who precisely was responsible for this Hollywood-style party on the ratepayer.

If you weren’t invited to the Sister City party, but paid for it, check out the highlight video of the evening below. You can also real the Council's response to the Taxpayers' Union request for official information here.