Wellington City Council has spent $563,000 to install a single bike rack opposite the council’s office on the Terrace. The bike rack has space for just 24 bikes. This comes only weeks after an $84,000 bike rack was reported on by the Post.

Taxpayers’ Union Communications Officer, Alex Emes, said:

“These latest figures on the costs of Wellington City Council’s latest bike rack have truly humbled the Taxpayer’s Union. Imagine a Council so incompetent it can make its previous $84k bike rack blowout look almost reasonable in comparison.

“Wellington City Council needs to let ratepayers know what other special hidden features are included with the masterpiece. Does it come with a red carpet, heated floors and a bike wash? With a price tag over half a million dollars, considering you could build a 3 bed detached house for the same amount of money I’m sure Wellingtonians can expect all the bells and whistles from this latest pedalling palace.

“Tory Whanau says there’s no more fat to be trimmed from her council. Especially with another bike rack only 50m away, how many of these is she planning on purchasing? In a time when Wellingtonians are fighting to keep food on the table and meet the cost of their skyrocketing rates bills, the mayor needs to cut the wasteful spending on bike racks and realise its hardworking Kiwis money she is squandering.”

NOTES:

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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