Rotorua mayor's China travel plans get the go ahead

Rotorua's mayor and cultural advisor Trevor Maxwell will travel to China after the council approved a request for funding. Photo/File

Rotorua's mayor and the district's cultural advisor have had a request for ratepayer-funded travel costs for a trip to China approved, but not without debate.

Councillor voted nine to one to approve just over $5000 worth of travel costs for Steve Chadwick and Trevor Maxwell at a Rotorua Lakes Council meeting today. As part of Rotorua's Sister City relationship with Suzhou City, Wuzhong District, and Economic Co-operation Agreement with Jiangning District of Nanjing, where Nanjing Rotorua Town is located, Mrs Chadwick put forward a business case to travel to those areas to cement relationships with Chinese officials.

It is also the 20th anniversary of the Sister City relationship between Rotorua and Suzhou City.

The cost would be $5058 for the pair, flying premium economy class from Rotorua and four nights' accommodation.

Honorary citizen of Rotorua David Chin, who is based in China, will accompany the pair while they are in the country and will provide his time, transportation and translation services free.

The visit coincides with an all-expenses paid trip to Boryeong City in South Korea after the two cities signed an events partnership agreement in June last year.

Rotorua's new Mudtopia festival is based on the South Korean city's Mud Festival and Mrs Chadwick has also been invited to be a keynote speaker at a tourism symposium in Incheon.

Councillor Rob Kent, who voted against the proposal, questioned the necessity for overseas travel by elected officials.

"I'm not convinced it actually achieves anything at all other than joy-riding at ratepayer expense, but you can prove me wrong."

He suggested Rotorua's Chinese Community of Commerce could cover the costs, instead of ratepayers.

Councillor Peter Bentley said he was afraid Rotorua community would see the trip as a junket.

But councillor Mark Gould said New Zealand's closer ties to China should be supported and the mayor's visit would attract media attention and promote the district as a visitor destination.

Councillor Karen Hunt said calling the trip a junket was "naive and patronising" and said it was a significant, international and prestigious invitation and no dollar value could be put on such a visit for the profile of Rotorua.