Press Statement

11 June 2010

Jami-Lee Ross - Manukau City Councillor and Chairman, Accountability and Performance Committee

Dick Quax - Manukau City Councillor
 

More questions than answers after Brown’s credit card release

Manukau Mayor Len Brown’s partial release of credit card spending during his mayoral term leaves more questions than answers, say two Manukau City Councillors.

Mr Brown’s campaign made available a summary of mayoral credit card use from October 2007 to April 2010 showing $16,977 of spending. The accompanying statement touted the release as being “in the interest of full disclosure openness and accountability”.

However, Manukau City Councillors Jami-Lee Ross and Dick Quax say the release falls well short of full disclosure. The two councillors say Manukau ratepayers deserve a more detailed breakdown of spending and they will continue to push for full release of all transaction details.

“Since the initial report of Mr Brown’s spending, we have insisted that a full release of all mayoral spending is necessary for ratepayers to have confidence that Mr Brown has not abused his ratepayer-funded credit card,” says Mr Ross. “This release by Mr Brown’s mayoral campaign does not come close to full disclosure.”

Mr Ross, who chairs the Council’s Accountability and Performance Committee, says the full details of Mr Brown’s spending won’t be known until all receipts, invoices and lists of individuals benefiting from entertainment expenses are revealed. He says Mr Brown is required to submit those documents to justify his spending.

“The Council’s Purchasing Card Policy is very clear that all cardholders must provide receipts or invoices to support the transactions they have made.

“There are a multitude of transactions listed in Mr Brown’s summary that provide no indication of items actually purchased. Whilst he may have admitted four items of personal expenditure so far, without all supporting documentation we can not be sure there has been no additional personal spending,” says Mr Ross.

Councillor Dick Quax says he is disappointed that Mr Brown has elected to withhold information about his entertainment expenses. Council Policy requires entertainment expenses to be detailed with an explanation of “…the names of those present including non-staff and the purpose of the entertainment”.

“Mr Brown has spent several thousand dollars on entertainment expenses since being elected as mayor. I would expect a full release of individuals that have benefited from food and alcohol funded by Manukau City ratepayers,” says Mr Quax.

The highest entertainment expense charged to Mr Brown’s credit card was a dinner costing $2,812.50 for Mr Brown and eight other guests, charged on 13 May 2009. Other significant entertainment expenses include $810 at Volare Restaurant on 27 September 2009 and $768 at Viaduct Restaurant and Bar on 28 July 2009. It is unknown who the guests were that accompanied Mr Brown.

Mr Ross and Mr Quax have written to the Manukau City Council Chief Executive Officer requesting all documents associated with mayoral credit card use. The documents requested have not yet been provided.

ENDS

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