Joseph Parker fight was almost a corporate welfare trap

The Government should scrap the Major Events Fund, says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“The Government narrowly escaped getting sucker-punched by Duco Events,” says Mr Seymour.

“It turns out funding wasn’t needed for New Zealand to host the Joseph Parker fight. But the Government never ruled out giving gravy to Duco – it was actually Duco who ran away from the idea when they realised it was getting political.

“This raises the question, how many events has the government funded that could have gone ahead without corporate welfare?

“Whether it’s horse shows, golf opens, yacht races, or stand-up-paddleboarding, Governments of all stripes fall into the trap of granting fat cheques to organisations that are perfectly capable of raising a profit without help.

“ACT would scrap the Major Events Fund entirely. The Government should pull its head in and focus on the basics of running the country. Core services like education, infrastructure, and policing all suffer when politicians are distracted by the glamour of corporate showbiz.”

ENDS

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