Readers' views: Council's $85,000 global trip

Auckland councillors went on an $85,000 global trip at ratepayers' expense, taking in San Francisco, Vancouver, London, Paris, Bilbao, Valencia, Prague and Berlin over 27-days. They spent $42,225 on business class airfares alone, but said the trip was "value for money" as it allowed them to see state-of-the-art galleries, museums and sporting facilities in the United States, Canada and Europe, which is vital if Auckland is to become a more global city. Do you agree?

This discussion is now closed. Thanks to everyone who gave their views.

Why has old ma Hubbard opened his mouth now? Either dear old Dick knew what was happening, or the councillors and their trip were within (large) pre-approved limits, or there's no internal audit at Auckland City Council. If it's the second option, then he should shut up because he's out of line and it's council business, but if it's the first or the last option he should shut up because the buck stops with him.

- Tim Wilkes

The trip is totally outrageous! My rates contribution to Auckland City for the rest of my life will still not cover the total cost of this junket.

- AP

We really should not be surprised by another Council junket spend up by Councillors Sefuiva and Walsh. It is human nature to abuse power; they just got caught out this time. It really is time in New Zealand for a major overhaul of our local and national government and its spending. The rapidly expanding expenditure of politicians is ultimately designed to feather their own nests, dumb down the general population and make us ever dependent on our political leaders. New Zealanders, think for yourselves, question what is happening in this country and how we are all having the wool pulled over our eyes.

- Andy

These type of corrupt people like Walsh and Sefuiva should be publicly disgraced. These are the people who ruin our country and the repuation of the council. These same people don't have a bit of shame to GLEE FOR A PHOTO and then put it up along the roads asking for the vote. Come next time and we will show you. My job for the next two years is to send/e-mail the details of this extravagant trip to everyone I know.

- Merelyn

Shame the Council didn't invest as much in street maintenance as they did in overseas jaunts for their councillors. A walk up Anzac Avenue on a morning is equivalent to a walk in an ashtray (not to mention the spit puddles) as well as an exercise in skilfully avoiding breaking/twisting/spraining ankles and/or legs on the uneven pavement. Someone should tell them it's all about priorities - not how much is available in the travel budget.

- Leighann

Now that these councillors have been caught out misappropriating our rates money, how about they pay the money back - out of their own pockets?

- Adam Roys

It's ridiculous that a trip of this nature could be approved by the people taking it. Councillors Sefuiva and Walsh should be embarrassed at having been party to such an obvious conflict of interest. Having decided it was okay to send themselves on this sort of trip, they further decided that Business Class was the way to go - thereby about doubling the cost of the trip! Shame on the Council - who have clearly forgotten that their job is to look after ratepayers' interests, not their own desires for luxury travel.

- Paul

I have nothing against Auckland councillors. Actually they are good people, they have a good heart. It should hang boiled on their back (and low enough that the dogs can reach).

- Rein

I think it's just disgusting the amount of tax and rates we pay to live in this country. If the council needed to take a look at "ideas of best practice" and change to theirs then why not just 2 people go and get really nice photos or they could do with a camcorder! And how come it took almost a month?? I bet they got paid for it as well, ie. not on annual leave but paid work!! Also we are the ratepayers so we NEED to know where the money was spent... I bet it was on 1st class airfare, hotels and expensive food and booze. Also what I can't understand is why do you need to copy other cities, do we pay you to steal ideas or do you not have enough brains to juggle up good ideas?? I think this city upgrade is stupid as the old trees looked far better, and take a look at some of the "improvements" they have done near the Aotea Square... actually I don't see much done... the people working may be getting paid more than what the improvements are costing.

- Justin

I find it amazing that the council has seen fit to travel at such expense with the cost going to the taxpayers. Simple suggestion on trimming the cost. Don't travel business class. Go with the rest of the group in the back of the plane. These councillors would not have gone on this trip if they had to finance the travel themselves. There's a good idea. Let them pay for their own business class travel.

- Chris

Disgraceful is the only word to describe this. This is in a time when the council is raising the rates to fund city development. This council has broken all promises to keep costs down and is fractionalized with his lordship the Mayor not knowing what his deputy Bruce Hucker does! I have little doubt that this council and the likes of Vern, Penny, Bruce and Dick will be out in the next council elections.

- Amrit

What a disgrace. Who do these councillors think they are? Business class travel should not be paid for by ratepayers.

- Simon G

Unbelievable... another typical example of overspend by a governing council. How can they justify business-class airfares in a time where the council supposedly has no money? There is so much blatant misappropriation of money in this country, yet instead of plugging the leaks, they take the money from the easiest place again - the tax payer. I'm getting absolutely sick of it.

- Mike

I'm sick and tired of paying more and more each year to cover whatever whim the council bureaucracy can think of. Cut out the extravegances and stop treating our money as though it's yours. Here's an idea - accountability! And sorry Dick the buck stops with you. Claiming you didn't know just doesn't cut it.

- Josh Helmhout

Rates increases are not the result of the Council's overseas trips, but rather the necessary means to invest in the city's failing infrastructure after years of underinvestment by previous councils. Readers are being understandably misled by this newspaper's attempts to create controversy. If the $105,000 spent over 2 years was to be refunded to Aucklanders, we would each receive about $2.50-$5.00 a year. The travel budget is just a drop in the bucket. The current Council has been much more responsible in investing in Auckland's future than previous councils, and every Auckland resident who is complaining about high rates should ask themselves how much their home would be worth if the city were to stop providing important services, or to stop trying to make Auckland a sustainable, desirable place to live. We all stand to benefit from this Council's proactive policies, including rates increases, irrespective of their slight overspending on travel. Although next time, I would suggest that councillors not fly business class, since they could save each Aucklander one dollar by sitting in coach.

- Julie Anne Genter

Oh, how I can't wait for local body elections to take revenge for wasting ratepayers money. Sweep the broom through the trough-feeders at council. Like a dose of Epsom salts! Ol' Mother Hubbard and her brood are gonna be out on their ear. Pure corruption. However, there's a much bigger issue at stake. It's time to reorganise local governance in the Auckland region. 5 cities, replicating services at YOUR expense for 1.2 million people is nuts. Like tomcats marking their territory. Of course, central government loves all this dysfunctionality. Keeps Auckland politically docile. Imagine if Aucklanders got politically active, formed an unashamedly Auckland-centric political party and voted as a block. A potential one third of the nation with political clout would shake up national politics and sort out those other trough-feeders in Wellington. Ok, who's up for it?

- Anthony Gibbons

I left Auck 3 years ago to work in Palmerston North but still class myself an Aucklander (my family still live there and our house waits for our return). After the last Mayoralty elections I sat bemused that Auckland would vote out a tough, results-focused Mayor like John Banks. He was not the nicest of people but then he was singlehandedly pushing through your road/corridor needs. I guess you must be so happy as you sit on roads, sub standard transport systems, miss appointments and burn money on petrol as you sit stationary. Equally I bet you were impressed at Dick's sensational representation of your needs in Wellington. You voted for Dick - lot in name as I see it so stop whinging!!!! What did you expect from Dick? That he would be hard! Do something and vote for a leader that will represent and deliver on your needs

– Craig Knox

Total waste of money. A trip through the information highway would have been a lot cheaper and probably more informative. More checks and balances for these "public servants" who should be looking after our best interests.

- Alex

Why do you need 4 people (Vern Walsh, Penny Sefuiva, Cameron Parr and Mark Vinall) to look at "ideas of best practice" and "at the mistakes some cities have made"? Dick Hubbard, if you want to look at "mistakes some cities have made", look no further than your own council and the type of people you employ. A single person should be able use a few Internet searches, phone calls and some commonsense to gather this type of information. We would like to see this $85,000 report.

- F Sutherland

I recently completed a New Zealand family history book

spanning the years 1862 to the present - 70,000 words. I obtained all the relevant research - data/statistics/in many cases photographs over the internet from institutions like the Corporation of London, National Library of Ireland and a dozen universities and other research institutions. I recommend this rather good research tool to the Council. Sorry it doesn't serve wine and truffles though...

- Paul Campbell

We deserve an apology from Auckland City Council and a rates rebate, not necessarily in that order.

- Tom S.

I am disgusted at the cost of this rightly called junket. This council just keeps on abusing the ratepayers. There are plenty well travelled Auckland citizens who would have been more than happy to submit feedback and ideas for our city based on international galleries and sporting venues. Isn't it bad enough the huge amount of ratepayer funds being dedicated to Eden Park for a one off short term gain.

- Lori

This is a typical result of poor management controls and is pretty disgraceful. 27 days to do a trip implies that it is more of a junket. I would be interested in understanding couple of items that may clarify that it was purely a junket:

1. Did any Spouses or Partners join them at any time during this tour?

2. Any air points accrued from this trip must in theory be the property of the ACC. Have these staff made the required declarations /transfers of air points.

- Wayne H.

They should be sacked and thrown to the wolves including the Mayor.

- Chris Mills

I think this is a total disgrace and a lack of respect for the tax payers funds. Are they going to be disciplined or fined? The city council should be called Auckland City CLOWNcil!

- Roshan Fernando

It seems that the council has the view, spend the money, rates will be increased to cover costs. This is obscene. In my view, the council should concentrate on local infrastructure and policy. The council should not be involved in any form of entertainment at ratepayers expense.

- Ludy Colenbrander

This just highlights another incident of corruption within the system. It happens on all levels throughout business also. When you have the power to spend money that is not your own there is always an opportunity for abuse. It's an inherent trait of human beings which ultimately shows we are in it for ourselves. There should definitely be tighter controls on spending of public/rate payers money especially if we receive no tax relief and face continuing increases in rates.

- Jason

The fact that Dick Hubbard signed changes that allows committees to approve overseas travel themselves shows that there is no governance in Auckland City. It is akin to letting your kids free in the lolly shop and asking them to be responsible and show restraint. I doubt very much that Hubbard would let his managers at his cereal company approve major expenditure and overseas travel without his express permission, but then that is his money not ours.

- PJ

This trip was clearly a crock... haven't they heard of the web. There is plenty they could have discovered using this tool.

- Dennis

Gravy train, junket, call it what you will, but a month long trip with all the trimmings is nothing short of bare faced corruption. How dare they!!

- John Yearbury

I look forward to seeing the result of this 85K investment into Auckland. I seriously don't believe that anything will change though. I mean, it's the best city in the world already isn't it. Public money should be under tighter control, and business class should be kept for special occasions.

- Jason

I must admire the two councillors concerned, a free junket, business class around the world. I think I might apply for a job there.

Oh and by the way it wasn't even their money it was ours and they didn't even ask us. To be honest this is typical of these types of people, and until we do something (like voting them out) they will continue to abuse the position of power that they think they have.

- Warren P

So now we all know. Mayor Dick cannot read and his office staff too. We rate payers have read in the local rag, months ago, that the councillors and officers are to gallavant overseas. And Mayor Dick only heard about it after the fact. So who is the Auckland City Mayor then?

- Deon

Now let's wait and see how Auckland's art galleries, museums and sporting facilities improve. If not, the money was just wasted again.

- Henk de Jong

I can't see how this is value for money to the ratepayers. I would have thought that research could have been done through the internet first and then the trip made much shorter if it was necessary at all. And did they really need to go all over the world - are there no world class facilities closer to home?

- KLB

This type of behaviour stinks. No wonder our rates rise faster than inflation. It is time the Government introduced the equivalent of a Local Body Omudsman where ratepayers could refer council behaviour for independent review.

- Peter Roberts

This trip is the direct result of a culture of excess in our council. The council are attempting to run like the private sector without any accountability or budgetary constraint. I work in a company which makes a profit of $500 million a year, yet we are asked yearly to take 5% of our budgets.

- D Clarke

What an utter waste of rate payers money. There are far more financially viable ways of conducting research than travelling the world to 'go see'. Business class! I bet they wouldn't have gone business class if they were paying for their own family trip!

- Carolyn Butcher

Having been an internal auditor at the City council of another major city, the news about Auckland does not surprise me. My audits uncovered serious anomoulies with 'overseas travel' by council senior management, but these concerns were completely ignored. Local government legislation needs a major overhaul. The main problem with senior management in public positions right across the board is that "they think they own the company". Unfortunately many of our external audit firms are too weak or "too connected" to deal with this abuse of public money.

- Ray Henkel

I just wonder exactly how do the councillors quantify the supposed value that they have attached to their expedition. My class are researching amazing structures at the moment we will 'travel' to five different places and countries over the next six weeks. By using a variety of communication technologies we will gather information from official and informal sources. We most certainly will not be spending upwards of $80,000 to do so. Was this 100% funded by the Auckland ratepayer? If so, I fail to see how it can provide value for money. Still I guess we will see how many votes it is worth when the next election rolls around. The information gained may well be valuable, but could undoubtedly have been collected in a far more economical way.

- Reece Palmer

I really don't see why Hubbard is getting upset. We all know that Hucker runs the city and Hubbard is just his puppet.

- Ben Hanif

I think that they do not need to travel business class or stay at 5-star hotels. It's supposed to be about fact finding not having a holiday and eating well. Some councillors think that they are CEOs and need to spend like one.

- Graeme Andrews