Self-interest On Display In Wellington - This Is What Gives Politicians A Bad Name

The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming the blatant self-interest on display today at the Wellington City Council after councillors voted to divvy up among themselves the pay of a departed colleague.

“This is the sort of behaviour that gives local politicians a bad name,” said Louis Houlbrooke, a spokesperson for the Union.

“Some Councillors tried to present this windfall as a conundrum where their colleague’s six figure salary must either go to them or go to charity. But the money belongs to ratepayers, and is not the politicians’ to keep or to donate to a pet charity.”

“The money should be returned to ratepayers. That’s as simple as making a payment to the Council’s general funds to ease financial pressure on Wellington households.”

“Councillors had a chance to display some solidarity with ratepayers dealing with the economic impact of a global pandemic. Instead, Wellington’s Councillors voted to line their own pockets to the tune of $7,500 each. What a bitter example of local council pettiness and greed.”

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