Electric Train Spending Off the Rails
Electric Train Spending Off the Rails
28 JUNE 2014
The Taxpayers’ Union is condemning Auckland
Transport and NZTA’s spend-up on the electric trains
advertising campaign, after documents obtained by the Union
show it cost taxpayers and ratepayers $356,000.
The documents show that one of the primary objectives of the television and billboard campaign in April was to ‘increase positive perceptions towards Auckland Transport’.
Executive Director, Jordan Williams says that taxpayers should not be doling out money for Auckland Transport’s PR spin.
“It’s outrageous that ratepayer money is being spent to try and tell ratepayers how they ought to think.”
Mr Williams says that this latest blunder by Auckland Transport, which comes after news of Auckland Transport’s $100,000 staff shuttles, shows that the organisation needs a serious wake-up call.
“Auckland Transport says their vision is to deliver ‘transport choices to get you where you want, when you want.' Instead of throwing money at advertising, Auckland Transport would have a better reputation if it stopped running the private shuttle between offices and started following its own advice to use public transport.”
The documents, obtained under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, are available on request.
ENDS