Cam Slater: Looks Dodgy, Smells Dodgy, Is Dodgy

When bureaucrats start playing around with OIA requests you know there is something stinky going on. Yet that is exactly what is happening at the Tauranga City Council.

The Ombudsman has been asked to rule on whether the guest list for a $40,000 private cocktail party co-hosted by Tauranga City Council should continue to be withheld from the public.

It comes as internal emails released to the Bay of Plenty Times show the decision to withhold the list was made by the council’s chief executive.

The invite-only event was held on May 10 and organised by the council and city partners, most of whom the council has refused to name.

The event was considered a “celebration of the city” with the council inviting 150 people. About 160 attended.

The council eventually said the city partners funded the event.

The officials are trying to keep it all secret.

Carrus founder Sir Paul Adams confirmed the property development company was one funding partner and has said the event was about celebrating the “long overdue” CBD revitalisation and thanking the council’s commissioners for “kick-starting” that work.

In responses to several Bay of Plenty Times requests, the council has declined to release the guest list, with senior staff citing privacy and “limited” public interest given event costs did not fall on ratepayers.

Emails between council staff and partners released to the Bay of Plenty Times under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act show the decision to withhold the list came from chief executive Marty Grenfell.

The emails show a council staff member highlighting the “high” public interest in releasing the guest list. After further discussions, another staff member stated: “Marty’s view is that the list of invitees should not be released – he’s happy for it to be taken up with the Ombudsman, if it comes to that.”

Well, which is it? “Limited” or “high”?

This just stinks of a cover-up, and looks dodgy.

What are they trying to hide?

Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. Cam blogs regularly on the BFD - where this article was sourced.