$43k bill for investigation into five Wellington City councillors

Thursday, 8 February 2024

The investigation into whether five Wellington City councillors had breached the Code of Conduct cost ratepayers more than $43,000.

An investigation was launched by Wellington mayor Tory Whanau, into whether councillors had breached the code by leaking information about a council deal to purchase the land under the Reading Cinemas for $32m in order to fund a redevelopment of the site. The deal was meant to be kept secret but leaked immediately after the meeting.

The report was carried out by Dentons Kensington Swan partner Linda Clark – the draft and final copies of which were leaked to The Post – did not identify who leaked the information.

However, it found councillors Diane Calvert, Ray Chung, Iona Pannett, Tony Randle and Nicola Young had breached the code, through making comments to the media, where councillors revealed information or cast aspersions on their colleagues or staff.

Wellington City Council confirmed this week the report came to a final cost of $43,000, plus GST. This was said to be less than the original cost estimate of between $45,000-$60,000, plus GST.

It comes as the council is considering significant budget cuts, and the possibility of a 15.4% rates rise in order to fund infrastructure upgrades needed to tackle the city’s leaking pipes.

None of the five accept that they breached the Code, with Pannett describing the report as “wrong in facts and wrong in law”.

The report also made recommendations including a workshop for councillors to air grievances and a briefing on how the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act works