Agency to cut its travel, food bills
Government agency Callaghan Innovation spent almost $3 million on travel and entertainment in one year.
Among its entertainment spending was a $50 tip from the public purse, following dinner at Wellington’s Dockside restaurant.
The figures, released under the Official Information Act, show that in the 2015/16 financial year, the official agency spent more than $300,000 on entertainment, $1 million on domestic airfares, about
$850,000 on domestic accommodation, more than
$400,000 on overseas airfares, and $300,000-plus on international acc- ommodation.
These costs totalled $2,896,801, up from $2,884,909 the previous year.
Its entertainment bill of more than $300,000 was mostly justified as entertaining clients, with Callaghan saying last month that such an amount was not unusual for a client-facing organisation.
‘‘These include meetings with customers and strategic partners, scientific briefings, hosting local and overseas delegations, and attendance at conferences and industry dinners,’’ a spokesperson said.
A breakdown of its costs showed as well as charging a $2063 team dinner at drag-queen cabaret restaurant Caluzzi Callaghan staff racked up a $5212 bill over 188 visits to the Beer & Burger Joint, downstairs from their Auckland office.
Also among their expenses was a dinner for seven people at Wellington’s Dockside restaurant, which included a $50 tip.
Taxpayers’ Union executive director Jordan Williams said tipping was rare in New Zealand, ‘‘it’s something you do to flaunt your wealth’’.
The Callaghan spokesperson said this spending was historical. ‘‘Since then, we have tightened relevant policies to ensure workrelated spending by staff is modest and appropriate for the public sector.’’
The minister in charge, Megan Woods, said once she was aware of the spending, she expressed her concern to Callaghan Innovation.
‘‘I made clear my expectations that public money be well spent. I had concern about the high amount of spending on internal events.
‘‘Callaghan has assured me they take that seriously, and they have changed their policy so this won’t happen again.’’
Callaghan spent more than $1m on domestic airfares, and $400,000 -plus on international flights in 2016. Williams said that this figure seemed ‘‘extraordinarily high’’.
Callaghan supports firms to increase their investment in research and development (R&D), technology and innovation.
An agency spokesperson said it worked with thousands of businesses, which required staff to travel both domestically and offshore.
The Taxpayers’ Union is a Wellington-based lobby group that campaigns for better value in government spending.