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REVEALED: Ministry For The Environment Blows More Than $2 Million On Internal ‘Events’ | Scoop News
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Since 2018/19, the ministry has spent more than $2 million. Yearly costs for internal events have gone up more than 8x since 2018/19 when annual costs were only $98,045. More details regarding spending details are available through the Taxpayers’ Union Official Information Act request.</p><p>Commenting on the exuberant costs, Taxpayers’ Union Communications Officer, Alex Emes said:</p><p>“While every business dedicates some money towards events, the fact the ministry has been jacking up their events budget during a time when Kiwis were told to stay home is another example of rules for thee but not for me.</p><p>“With the money they decided to fork out on events, they could have instead planted more than 2000 hectares of trees. At least that would have been an attempt to do their actual job of helping the environment rather than playing around in workshops, retreats and lavish events.</p><p>“The Ministry needs to come clean on what has led to this latest budget blowout scandal, and how they plan to reign in their bloated event bills. The Taxpayer tab needs to end at all departments, and that includes the Ministry for the Environment.”</p> <div class="article-left-box-wrapper"><div class="article-left-box"> <div class="headline-right"><div id="in-cont" style="background:white;"> <div id="txt1" style="text-align:left; font-size:14px; font-style: italic; color: grey; padding: 4px;">Advertisement - scroll to continue reading</div> <div style="min-height:250px;min-width: 300px;"><style> @media screen and (max-width: 768px) {.article-left-box {float: none; margin: 20px auto 20px auto; margin-left: calc( (100% - 300px) / 2 );}} @media screen and (max-width: 970px) {#article iframe { max-width: 100%;}} #article iframe { max-width: 100%;}</style> <!-- /1688062/Scoop_Super-Rectangle --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1493962836337-4' style="padding: 0 20px 0 0; text-align: center;"> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1493962836337-4'); }); </script> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <!-- LINKS REMOVED SUB:0 URL:PO2411/S00012/revealed-ministry-for-the-environment-blows-more-than-2-million-on-internal-events.htm --> <p> <a href="http://www.scoop.co.nz/about/terms.html" target="_blank"><span>© Scoop Media</span></a><!-- LINKS NOT REMOVED SUB:0 URL:PO2411/S00012/revealed-ministry-for-the-environment-blows-more-than-2-million-on-internal-events.htm --> <br> <div id="story-footer" style="padding:20px 0;"> <!-- /1688062/Scoop_Story-Footer --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1493962836337-6' style='min-width: 300px; min-height: 250px; text-align: center;'><div style="text-align:center; font-size:14px; font-style: italic; color: grey; padding: 4px;">Advertisement - scroll to continue reading</div> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1493962836337-6'); }); </script> </div> </div> <!-- <div id="byline-block"> <style> a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}</style> <div class="byline-block byline-block-light" style="background-color:#ebebeb; font-size:16px; line-height:22px; font-weight:normal; border: 1px solid #f55a3f; width: -webkit-fill-available;"> <h4>Did you know Scoop has an Ethical Paywall?</h4> <p>If you're using Scoop for work, your organisation needs to pay a small license fee with Scoop Pro. 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It is pretty rare for the left to feel itself to be in the overwhelming majority, and speaking as the voice of the people. Lest that momentum be lost, the organisers will no doubt be mobilising the contacts they made yesterday, to carry the ongoing fight against this Bill to all parts of the country. (In business speak, the hikoi was a great networking opportunity.) The subsequent nit-picking among the Bill’s fellow travellers was a good indication of just how rattled they were by the massive turnout.</p></a></div> <div id="leader-also-wrapper" style="background-image: url(/images/teal-right.gif)"> <div class="leader-left"> </div> <div class="leader-also"> </div> <h5> </h5> <div class="cleaner"></div> </div> </div> </div><!-- /doubleleft-col --> <div class="section-wrapper"> <div class="cleaner"> </div> <div class="left-col" id="img-float-right"> <div class="story-panel"><a href="https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2411/S00646/single-agency-needed-to-coordinate-climate-adaptation-and-recovery.htm"><h4><img src="https://mc-store1.s3.amazonaws.com/media/nn/beta1-scoop-co-nz/scoopFP/8x8ce4iwPK99NMKt.jpg" width="125" height="100"><i>Infrastructure New Zealand:</i> Single Agency Needed To Coordinate Climate Adaptation And Recovery</h4><p>Based on the successful Queensland’s Reconstruction Authority (QRA) model, a specialised national entity could unify adaptation planning, streamline recovery and response efforts, and improve resilience measures across the country.</p></a></div><div class="story-panel"><a href="https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2411/S00643/fair-digital-news-bargaining-bill-likely-to-restrict-access-to-information-polling-shows-most-oppose.htm"><h4><img src="https://mc-store1.s3.amazonaws.com/media/nn/beta1-scoop-co-nz/scoopFP/iDbQZS_2wC4qPsm3.jpg" width="125" height="100"><i>Free Speech Union:</i> Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill Likely To Restrict Access To Information, Polling Shows Most Oppose</h4><p>At first glance, the Bill could look like a positive way to support journalism, and mainstream media have shown support for it. However, polling shows that voters are sceptical. The results show that 65% of respondents would be very annoyed or somewhat annoyed if they couldn’t access New Zealand news stories through search engines or social media sites.</p></a></div><div class="story-panel"><a href="https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2411/S00623/driver-safety-screens-now-rolling-out-across-aucklands-bus-fleet.htm"><h4><img src="https://mc-store1.s3.amazonaws.com/media/nn/beta1-scoop-co-nz/scoopFP/eapW4cyonqaaBMsT.jpg" width="125" height="100"><i>Auckland Transport:</i> Driver Safety Screens Now Rolling Out Across Auckland’s Bus Fleet</h4><p>Mayor Wayne Brown says he prioritised funds for the safety screen rollout in recognition of the important frontline role our bus drivers play in keeping Auckland moving. </p></a></div> </div> <div class="centre-col" id="img-float-right"> <div class="story-panel"><a href="https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2411/S00605/expect-resistance-community-group-pushes-back-against-more-cops-with-guns.htm"><h4><img src="https://mc-store1.s3.amazonaws.com/media/nn/beta1-scoop-co-nz/scoopFP/eKrtHYXzH0igdVqJ.jpg" width="125" height="100"><i>People Against Prisons Aotearoa:</i> 'Expect Resistance' - Community Group Pushes Back Against More Cops With Guns</h4><p>New Zealanders do not want to see cops walking around with guns. American-style policing will lead to American-style gun violence. </p></a></div><div class="story-panel"><a href="https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2411/S00100/new-zealand-drops-in-global-ranking-on-climate-action.htm"><h4><img src="https://mc-store1.s3.amazonaws.com/media/nn/beta1-scoop-co-nz/scoopFP/ZDBv1tSdm3Qh9Ey9.jpg" width="125" height="100"><i>Greenpeace:</i> New Zealand Drops In Global Ranking On Climate Action</h4><p>If the government won’t hold polluters to account, then people will. People are increasingly taking to the streets and the courtrooms, putting their bodies on the line to shut down polluting industries. This will only escalate further unless New Zealand ups its game.</p></a></div><div class="story-panel"><a href="https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2411/S00099/spending-cuts-need-to-stop-psa-urges-govt-to-listen-to-economists.htm"><h4><img src="https://mc-store1.s3.amazonaws.com/media/nn/beta1-scoop-co-nz/scoopFP/BBGISFUGVb1Flr4Q.jpg" width="125" height="100"><i>PSA:</i> Spending Cuts Need To Stop - PSA Urges Govt To Listen To Economists</h4><p>The economists, drawn from universities, unions and the private sector, are calling on the Government to urgently revisit its fiscal policy stating the economic rationale for spending cuts and deferral of key infrastructure projects was ‘unclear’.</p></a></div> </div> </div> <div class="cleaner"></div> </div><!-- /container --> <div class="right-col"> <div class="headline-right"><a href="https://pro.scoop.co.nz/?source=SPW"><div id="get-more"> <i class="material-icons" style="color:#30A7BF;">work</i> <span>Join Scoop Pro</span> </div></a> </div> 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