Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern surprised at $12k bill for Winston Peters farewell bash
22 Feb, 2021 10:48 PM
3 minutes to read
Jason Walls is a political reporter for the New Zealand Heraldjason.walls@nzme.co.nz@Jasonwalls92
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has admitted she was surprised at the almost $12,000 taxpayer-funded bill for former Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters farewell bash at Parliament.
She has asked officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mfat) to look into the bill to ensure it did actually cost as much as has been reported.
This morning, the Herald revealed the event – where roughly 100 MPs and diplomats gathered to thank Peters for his time in the job – cost $11,733.
Taxpayers foot $12,000 bill for Peters farewell bash – an event he didn t even want Tue, 23 Feb 2021, 3:50PM
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was at the event and used his speech to sing the praises of New Zealand s Foreign Ministry. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Taxpayers foot $12,000 bill for Peters farewell bash – an event he didn t even want
It s an event that, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta, Peters did not even want.
But it went ahead nonetheless, with a group of roughly 100 MPs, diplomats, their spouses and senior members of the public service in attendance.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was also there, and paid tribute to Peters, her Deputy Prime Minister between 2017 and 2020.
Taxpayers foot $12,000 bill for Winston Peters farewell bash – an event he didn t even want
22 Feb, 2021 04:00 PM
4 minutes to read
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was at the event and used his speech to sing the praises of New Zealand s Foreign Ministry. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was at the event and used his speech to sing the praises of New Zealand s Foreign Ministry. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Jason Walls is a political reporter for the New Zealand Heraldjason.walls@nzme.co.nz@Jasonwalls92
Taxpayers forked out close to $12,000 for an event celebrating former Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters tenure in the job.