An investigation by the Auditor-General has found that on February 9 a new spending category was set up to pay for the land under the Ministry for Housing and Urban Development, but the Government did not seek approval for this, making the payment unlawful until validated by Parliament. The Auditor-General s report uncovers extremely dodgy behaviour from Labour Government ministers as they tried to justify this spending, says National s housing spokesperson Nicola Willis. This is a disgraceful abuse of the law. Ministers are not a law unto themselves with authority to write cheques whenever they wish. They need to get the approval of Parliament first.
Housing Minister Megan Woods promises to tidy up unlawful purchase of Ihumātao
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Government spending on Ihumātao criticised for not following proper process
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The original roundabout in Northcote was built in 2018 at the centre of a $400,000 project. It was later removed to make way for a water infrastructure upgrade, but is now being replaced.
Tax and ratepayers have forked out $600,000 for a roundabout to be built on Auckland’s North Shore, twice. Council-controlled Auckland Transport first built the roundabout on Ocean View Road in 2018. Construction of the roundabout cost about $400,000, costs which also included traffic management, speed tables and pavement work as part of the Northcote Safe Cycle Route. But that roundabout was recently demolished – to allow the construction of a water main which will serve the Northcote Development, a major Government housing project just over 100 metres away.