The Taxpayers’ Union has been left dumbfounded by Tourism NZ’s decision to spend $918,000 on a video of Rod Stewart singing a song for America’s Cup fans.

The four-minute video records Rod Stewart singing on a boat in front of the London Bridge. An extended version includes a video conference between Sir Rod and (checks notes) Clarke Gayford.

Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Taxpayers just got shafted. It is incredible that anyone at Tourism NZ thought this was an appropriate use of taxpayer money. It’s basically an advertisement for people to visit London. This is such an unbelievable example of government waste that we’re almost lost for words.”

“Tourism NZs need to front up and explain it was necessary to spend a million bucks to pipe in a British celebrity. Saying ‘I Don’t Want to Talk About It’ isn’t good enough.”
 

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