Today, Auckland Council announced $8 million of new funding that will see bus drivers receive an average 8% pay rise from $23.71 to $25.62 per hour. The decision is in response to a massive driver shortage that has led to 2,000 bus cancellations a day.

The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance supports paying frontline workers more. However, the $1 billion ratepayer-funded Council payroll is bloated with grossly overpaid middle managers and bureaucrats that Auckland doesn’t need.

Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said, “Auckland Transport has 256 managers working out of its Viaduct office with an average salary of $166,431 compared to $53,290 for a bus driver.”

“In light of today’s announcement, we think those managers should take a commensurate 8% pay cut. That would mean an extra few million dollars to keep the buses running.”

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