KEY POINTS:
Auckland City Council has become embroiled in a junket row after three delegates jetted business class to Auckland's new sister city Hamburg on a fact-finding mission.
News of the council-funded trip is expected to cause a furore after it emerged that Auckland City ratepayers are footing the bill
for the visit last October.
An Auckland City Council spokeswoman said yesterday that Mayor Dick Hubbard, councillor John Hinchcliff and Caroline Lassiter, the city council's manager of international affairs, went to Hamburg last October for four days to discuss forming an "economic alliance".
The airfares were funded by Auckland City ratepayers, but the accommodation was provided by the Germans free of charge.
Afterwards, the delegation flew to Busan in Korea to celebrate the 10th anniversary of that city being a sister city to Auckland.
A current business class return flight from Auckland to Hamburg flying Air New Zealand and Lufthansa costs $9919 before taxes.
A return economy-class ticket costs $2799.
A five-person delegation from Hamburg spent four days in Auckland this month meeting Auckland City Council officials.
Last night Mr Hubbard denied the trip to Germany and Korea was a junket.
"I am totally sick of hearing that term being used.
"This trip was an extremely successful visit in terms of forging an economic alliance between Hamburg and Auckland. The trade links could be worth up to $500 million in trade to this city."
Mr Hubbard said the party enjoyed one day off during their time in Hamburg and visited the opera as guests of the city.
In Korea, they visited a film festival where New Zealand filmmakers had a stand and Mr Hubbard made a speech in support of the New Zealand film industry.
Auckland has added to its growing family of sister cities with the addition of the German city, which is known for its big port and also its licensed red-light district.
With a population of 1.8 million, it is the second largest city in Germany and its port is the second largest in Europe.
Hamburg also has a rich musical heritage. Both Mendelssohn and Brahms were born there and the Beatles played in a few of Hamburg's small bars around the Reeperbahn before striking it big.
Auckland already has five sister cities - Fukuoka, in Japan, Busan, in Korea, Guangzhou, in China, Brisbane, in Australia, and Los Angeles, in the United States.
Auckland City councillors came under fire after spending nearly $160,000 of public money last year on trips to far-flung locations such as Glasgow and Fukuoka. After a review in December, the council decided to keep their business class entitlements with a few minor changes.
Dr Hinchcliff, chairman of the council's Partnerships Committee, said yesterday it had joined in a "strategic alliance" with Hamburg, which was essentially the same as a sister city relationship.
"Hamburg wanted to call it a strategic alliance, so we agreed to do that for them," he said.
Dr Hinchcliff said the council was delighted to have the connection with Hamburg, which was chosen because it was a city facing similar challenges to Auckland.
"We are looking forward to working with Hamburg in areas like managing the growth in our cities, developing our waterfront and facilitating the integration of new migrants.
"Both cities want to ensure that the work we do is sustainable with a focus on the future."
Sister cities
AUCKLAND
Fukuoka - Japan
Busan - S Korea
Guangzhou - China
Brisbane - Australia
Los Angeles - United States
WELLINGTON
Beijing - China
Xiamen - China
Sakai - Japan
CHRISTCHURCH
Adelaide - Australia
Christchurch - UK
Gansu Province - China
Kurashiki - Japan
Seattle - US
HAMILTON
Saitama - Japan
Wuxi City - China
Sacramento - US
DUNEDIN
Portsmouth - US
Edinburgh - UK
Otaru - Japan
Shanghai - China
