MANDY SMITH
The Central Hawke's Bay District Council yesterday took pains to distance itself from Wellington and the spending habits of its politicians.
The council decided to send auditor-general Kevin Brady a letter of support for his decision on the party election campaign spending. "I would personally very much like to publicly
dissociate ourselves from the fiasco of politicians knowingly doing unlawful acts and legislation," mayor Tim Gilbertson said. "It sets a dangerous precedent for the health of our democracy."
Mr Brady found political parties misspent more than $1.17 million of taxpayer funds in the lead up to the last general election.
Labour spent the most at more than $824,524 including GST. Mr Gilbertson said most parties had "cynically, deliberately and with seeming contempt for the law, the constitution and the public of New Zealand whom they are sworn to serve" ignored the auditor general's warnings.
Parliament's retrospective legislation to validate the unlawful election spending was an outrage to the nation and an insult to elected representatives likely to be "tarred by the same brush", he said. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Gilbertson said he was confident his ratepayers would approve of the council's actions.
"People on our streets are outraged," he said.
