All aboard to Queenstown

The Herald reports:

One mayor, one city – but 36 delegates from the Auckland Council will be at the Local Government NZ conference in Queenstown, costing ratepayers more than $93,000.

Six councillors, 22 local board members, three Maori Statutory Board members and five council staff fly to Queenstown tomorrow for the two-day conference.

They will stay in the “spellbinding luxury” of the Millennium and Copthorne Resort Lakefront hotels.

36 delegates? Really.

The cost per delegate is $2600, including registration, flights and accommodation. Taxis, meals and other expenses are to be added.

That’s a fair bit for a two day conference. I’m sure it would have been cheaper in Palmerston North.