Mayor Andy Foster did not reply to questions about why he considered the request for details of which charities he was donating to as intrusive. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Mayor Andy Foster did not reply to questions about why he considered the request for details of which charities he was donating to as intrusive. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Wellington's mayor has refused to disclose which community groups his 10 per cent pay cut is going to, describing the request for that information as "too intrusive".
But the majority of his councillors have provided a breakdown of how much money is going to which community groups and charities, includingthe exact date of their first payment.
Councillor Sean Rush went as far as providing a copy of the official tax receipt of his first donation to Women's Refuge.
The city council made the announcement on April 8 that the mayor, councillors, council chief executive and executive leadership team would all be taking a voluntary 10 per cent pay reduction.
The move was seen as one done in solidarity with constituents experiencing pay cuts and job losses in the economic fallout of Covid-19, and to help those most in need by directing the money to community groups.
Currently Local Government elected members do not technically have the ability to reduce their pay, which is determined by the independent Remuneration Authority and set in legislation. So many are choosing to donate to charity instead.
The Herald sent an email to all councillors and Wellington mayor Andy Foster at midday on Monday asking which charities they were donating to and to confirm when the money was first deducted from their pay.
Wellington City councillor Diane Calvert also refused to disclose where her donations were going. Photo / Mark Mitchell
After initially missing the response time deadline, Foster told the Herald his money was "going to several environmental, community and welfare organisations".
Responding to a follow up email from the Herald asking for the information initially requested, Foster said it was "too intrusive a request".
"But I can tell you I have nine environmental, welfare and local community organisations that I am supporting. Because of the number, I am lump sum funding them progressively through until the end of the year to meet my 10 per cent target, and then continuing a normal level of donations," he said.
Foster did not reply to questions about why he found the request to be intrusive.
Deputy mayor Sarah Free also did not provide specific details of which charities she was donating to or a date of her first payment, only saying she was supporting four Wellington-based charities.
She did not reply to a request for clarification.
Diane Calvert is the only councillor who did not provide details either.
Calvert said many Wellingtonians were making financial and other forms of donations to assist charities who did not seek or expect public recognition, and neither did she or her family.
"I will not be disclosing who my donations will be going to as I never have, but can tell you that it will be spread this year across five groups all based in the city area covering family welfare, children's welfare, animal welfare, and local communities of place and interest," she said.
Wellington City Council chief people and culture officer Meredith Blackler emailed councillors at the time of the pay cut decision.
She said they could either make the payment directly to a charitable organisation or community fund, or they could ask payroll to set up a fortnightly reduction from their pay.
