The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming the Government for teaming up with Auckland Council to spend $1.5 million ($750,000 each) on funding a dancing competition less than 24 hours after hounding the local government sector for wasting money on nice-to-haves rather than must-haves.

“The Government is ignoring it’s own advice, instead urging councils to ‘do as I say, not as I do.’

“Despite telling councils ‘the party is over’ yesterday, the Government is now teaming up with Auckland Council to waste money on exactly the kind of vanity projects they are ridiculing them for – the party is far from over.

“The economic benefits proclaimed by Minister Melissa Lee are nothing more than wishful thinking. The economic activity lost from taxing the money away from productive New Zealanders will far outstrip any benefits of the dance competition. If people aren’t willing to spend their own money to go and watch, why on earth should taxpayers be subsidising it?

“The Government can’t expect to be taken seriously by local government when it continues to splash cash on pet projects that make great photo opportunities but don’t deliver value for most New Zealanders currently struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.”

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