"Finally, Tauranga ratepayers can watch the $180,000 documentary the Council produced to promote its $306 million redevelopment of the civic centre," says Tauranga-based ACT MP Cameron Luxton.

"The documentary was privately launched at a party for VIPs four months ago. On the 1st of this month it was finally uploaded to the Council’s YouTube channel as a three-episode series. Eleven days later, the most-viewed episode had drawn less than 300 views. Now, it's been re-posted and has drawn just 273 views.

"The documentary is already out of date – Anne Tolley is prominently featured as Tauranga's Commission Chair, despite leaving the post eight months ago.

"The documentary comes soon after the Council’s $75,000 tourism app flop, and the installation of a $300,000 sculpture in Red Square.

"With the Council projecting a 12.5% rate hike for 2025, its entrance into the film industry is an unwelcome indulgence, and a bitter cherry on top of the wasteful legacy of Labour's commissioners.

"The film doesn't actually discuss the building project itself, so we get no insight into how the development ended up costing ratepayers so much."

© Scoop Media