One Hundred Thousand Overboard
One Hundred Thousand Overboard
16 JANUARY
2014
Reacting to this morning’s NZ Herald report
that organisers of a new Auckland to Bluff yacht race will
get to keep $100,000 in taxpayer funding despite the
cancellation of next month's inaugural event, Executive
Director of the Taxpayers’ Union, Jordan Williams
says:
“It’s bad enough that one hundred thousand is being spent on sailing and not schools, but that it was all for nothing is an insult. At the very least, grants should be conditional on the event actually happening."
“Yachting is one of the richest sports, most Kiwi taxpayers can’t afford a boat but are subsidising sailing races. With the America’s cup there is some promotion of New Zealand, but this was a domestic competition.”
“It’s an utter waste of money, with $100,000 of taxpayer cash going overboard. The race organisers should do the honourable thing and refund the money.” concludes Mr Williams.
ENDS