Ashburton District Council has paid social media influencers $7,000 in an attempt to promote tourism in the area.

Commenting on this, Local Government Campaign Manager for the Taxpayers’ Union, Sam Warren, said:

“Rates in Ashburton increased by 17.90 percent on average last year alone. You’d think council would be more interested in working out how to keep this number down.”

“Businesses aren’t struggling due to a lack of influencers, but they are struggling with crippling rate rises, year-on year."

“There’s no shortage of areas to focus on, but ratepayer-funded holidays for social media influencers isn’t one of them. Instead, why not focus on the obscene cost overruns from the new $62.1 million library?"

"What we have is another Council trying to do too much. Stick to the basics – roads, waste and pipes."

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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