Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick isolating at home on her return from Australia in March. Photo / File
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick isolating at home on her return from Australia in March. Photo / File
Coffees, a meal at McDonald's and a rental car in "exceptional circumstances" are among charges Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick put on her council purchasing card over the past two years.
The Rotorua Lakes Council provided records of the third-term mayor's "p-card" spending to the Rotorua Daily Post in response toan official information request.
The records show the mayor spent just over $4140 on the BNZ card between October 2018 and the same month in 2020.
The largest single charge was $508.33 for a Hertz rental car on March 19 last year, when Chadwick was unable to get a flight from Auckland to Rotorua following Covid restrictions.
That day, the Government banned gatherings of more than 100 people and, that night, it closed the country's borders to all bar residents and citizens. Lockdown began a few days later.
Chadwick told the Rotorua Daily Post she had been on mayoral business in Canberra, Australia, with then Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta (now associate minister) and Australian High Commissioner Annette King, attending the Australian kapa haka competition.
She had been due to stay another couple of days but with the border closing and concern around Covid heightening, had to come home early.
"I had to change all of my bookings or I wouldn't have been able to get back."
She was unable to find a flight from Auckland to Rotorua so in those "exceptional circumstances" she hired a rental car.
The mayor worked from home whole voluntarily isolating. Photo / File
On return to Rotorua the mayor went into voluntary isolation and worked from home.
The mayor had few other charges over $100, including a thank-you lunch for volunteers of the Concert of for the Time Honoured ($102.80) and flowers for the tangihanga of Father (Tim) Anton Timmerman ($100.50), who was farewelled by hundreds in Rotorua May 2019 after his death at age 100.
Her smallest purchases were in-transit: a $4.40 meal at the Rotorua Airport Cafe before a flight to Wellington and a $4.80 coffee at Robert Harris after a Local Government New Zealand meeting in Wellington.
The majority of charges were taxis and meals when the mayor was in Wellington or Auckland for various meetings and events.
Her bill also included occasional visits to local cafes including Lime Cafe, Arts Village Cafe and Capers and Third Place Cafes for business meals or meetings, or when attending nearby events.
Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick. Photo / File
Chadwick said she tended to meet people at the council when in Rotorua but for off-site meetings, she preferred cafes in walking distance.
She was surprised to hear her bill also included a visit to McDonald's in Wellington - a $13 meal after a Local Government New Zealand meeting in 2019.
She said did not remember it but it was an unusual choice for her so she must have been hungry or "desperate".
The frequency of her card use ranged from one to 13 swipes a month and also included bank fees and subscription payments for news services - the Rotorua Daily Post and Herald.
"I am very, very careful," said Chadwick of her card use.
"There is no hosting of dinners or anything like that. I run everything past [council chief executive] Geoff Williams."
The mayor also has use of a council vehicle.
Cultural ambassador's event bill
Rotorua councillor and council cultural ambassador Trevor Maxwell. Photo / File
The Rotorua Daily Post also requested expense claims made by elected members.
There were few, but councillor Trevor Maxwell had the most with just over $1000 claimed over the two years for mileage, meals, taxis and parking while travelling in New Zealand for various events.
He said the travel mostly related to his role representing Rotorua as the council's cultural ambassador.
Events he represented the council at included the Chinese New Year Spring Festival in Auckland, Local Government New Zealand's annual conference and Te Marauta Hui in Wellington, the National Day of the Republic of China in Auckland (twice) and the Japanese Emperor's Birthday Reception in Auckland.
He said talking through the events made him realise how much he had done. He said the relationships were important for Rotorua and he was proud to represent the city at home, throughout New Zealand and abroad.
