Mayor Tim Shadbolt’s use of ratepayer money to hand out “I met the Mayor” wristbands is ratepayer-funded electioneering and should be refunded, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.

Taxpayers’ Union Researcher Luke Redward says: “We recently received a tip from a concerned Invercargill ratepayer about some mysterious wristbands. Upon further investigation we can reveal that Mayor Shadbolt has been using ratepayer money to purchase and distribute ‘I met Mayor Tim’ wristbands before the upcoming local government elections.”

The wristbands include the slogan “I met Mayor Tim”, along with an image of Mayor Tim Shadbolt. In information obtained under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, Invercargill City Council confirms that 2,140 wristbands have been purchased since the 2016 election, costing ratepayers $3,256. The wristbands were “distributed at Civic Functions and Mayoral receptions” as recently as last month.

“These wristband don’t serve any purpose other than to bloat the Mayor’s ego and improve his electoral prospects. This is made worse by the timing of handing out propaganda so close to an election. Ratepayers expect that their money is spent on core services, not to tickle the vanity of local politicians.”

The Union is calling for Mayor Shadbolt to refund the full $3,256 amount.

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