Ratepayers Fund Image Consultant Co. to Assist Auckland Council Accounts Team

13 MARCH 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Auckland ratepayers have paid for an external image consultant to provide ‘Brand Me’ training to back-office accounting staff inside the Auckland Council.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says: “While the Council is cutting services and library hours it is spending money on fashion and make-up advice for its back office accounting staff.”

It is a sad irony that the very people whose job it is to keep a lid on Auckland Council’s spending are those wasting money getting ratepayer-funded hair and make-up advice.

“Image consultants Fox & Mae were contracted to run ‘Brand Me’ courses designed to assist with grooming, lifting the dress standard and help accounts staff understand the meaning of casual Friday.”

Mr Williams says, “Image consultants are to help celebrities and the rich dress well. From a ratepayers’ perspective this is about as helpful as funding tango lessons for the Mayor.”

Fox & Mae charged ratepayers $3,561.25 for the two training sessions and the Council’s response to the Taxpayers' Union official information request has been posted on the Union's website.

ENDS

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