By Josh Van Veen

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Chief Executive of Timaru District Council to explain what his staff actually do, given that so much of their work is outsourced.

According to a report published in The Timaru Herald yesterday, Timaru District Council spent $34 million on 214 consultants between 2018 and 2022.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Josh Van Veen said, “It is particularly concerning to see that the CEO alone spent $700,000 on consultants for his office.”

“That would pay the annual rates bill for more than 300 households in the district,” Mr. Van Veen said.

The 2022 Ratepayer Report found that of the staff at Timaru District Council, 42 are paid more than $100,000 per annum.

“What do these people do, given that so much of the Council’s work is outsourced to private contractors?”