“Contempt is the only way to describe burning $20 million of taxpayer money during a cost of living crisis on a project that had no purpose,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Neither Clare Curran, nor Kris Faafoi, nor Willie Jackson could explain why they wanted to merge TVNZ and RNZ.

“As one person described it, ‘Attempting to discern the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ of the new public media entity is like trying to find the edible parts of a disappointing artichoke.’

“This was an extraordinary act of fiscal incontinence. $20 million could have paid the salaries of about 250 nurses for a year.

“We have a 62,000-strong public service, but almost $12 million was spent on contractors and consultants, including PwC and Deloitte. That is a damning indictment on the quality of the bureaucracy.

“New Zealanders work hard, pay tax, and follow the law. For politicians to waste money like this is a disgrace.

“ACT believes we can and should cut back on wasteful spending to show respect for taxpayers so we can deliver real tax cuts.

“We set out in our Real Change Alternative Budget last year how we could reduce wasteful spending by $6.8 billion in 2023 and have a simple two-rate tax system: 17.5 and 28 per cent.

“Labour and the Greens like to say if you cut spending that must mean cuts to frontline services. This sad episode shows how far from the truth that is.”

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