MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE AUCKLAND REGIONAL AMENITIES FUNDING BOARD IN RELATION TO TODAY’S COURT DECISION ON THE HELICOPTER TRUSTS’ FUNDING MATTER

2 April 2014

Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board chair Vern Walsh has welcomed Justice Thomas‘ High Court decision to reject on all counts the Westpac Helicopter Trusts’ request for a judicial review and dismissed its application.

The Board is pleased that no more ratepayers’ money is likely to be spend legally defending the board’s decision.

The judge recognised that the combined helicopter trusts had substantial alternative funding and the funding board had acted fairly and rationally.

The Amenities Board has a statutory obligation to ensure Auckland regional amenities are sustained on the basis of their financial need. Accordingly we have allocated the helicopter trusts $450,000 for the coming year bringing their total contribution from ratepayers for the last four years to more than $6 million.

ENDS

© Scoop Media