The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal through an Official Information Act request that the New Zealand Defence Force has splurged $32,800 on e-scooters for Base Auckland from private operator Beam.

Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator, Rhys Hurley, said:

“Kiwis are doing it tough — cutting back on groceries, delaying holidays, and skipping takeaways. But while households have no money to play around with, the Defence Force is splashing out on rent-by-the-second electric scooter joyrides.”

“If zipping to the gym on overpriced e-scooters is what Defence top brass call value for money, it’s no wonder the books are blowing out.”

“The Defence Force has just been handed a $12 billion funding plan. If this is the starting point, taxpayers should buckle up — it’s going to be a rough ride.”

“With Budget 2025 exactly six weeks away, Ministers need to be going through the books line by line to root out waste like this. Because with $25 million being borrowed every day, the Government debt clock won’t slow down on its own.”

NOTES:

The response to our OIA request can be found here.

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is an independent and membership-driven activist group, dedicated to being the voice for Kiwi taxpayers in the corridors of power. Its mission, lower taxes, less waste, more accountability, is supported by 200,000 subscribed members and supporters.

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