Transpower’s Travel

Chris Hipkins blogs:

This morning’s Sunday Star Times reveals that Transpower spent $2.2 million on overseas travel in the middle of the recession. Between July 2008 and November 2009 they spent $1.3 million on overseas airfares and another $900,000 on “travel expenses”.

To put that into context, all government ministers (including those outside Cabinet) collectively spent about $2.6 million on overseas travel during 2009. I understand the need for Transpower to tap into expertise from overseas, but this just seems excessive.

I have to agree with Chris – it does seem excessive.