February 6, 2018 7:41am by David Farrar

Callaghan’s spend

Government agency Callaghan Innovation spent almost $3 million on travel and entertainment in one year.

Among the entertainment spending was a $50 tip from the public purse, following dinner at Wellington’s Dockside restaurant.

The figures, released to the Taxpayers’ Union under the Official Information Act, show in the 2015/16 financial year, the agency responsible for giving grants to support science and innovation, spent more than $300,000 on entertainment, more than $1m on domestic airfares, more than $850,000 on domestic accommodation and other travel expenses, more than $400,000 on international airfares, and more than $300,000 on international accommodation and other travel-related expenses.

$300,000 on entertainment is way too high, as is the overall spend on travel.

The entertainment spend of more than $300,000 was mostly justified as entertaining clients, and last month Callaghan said that type of spending was not unusual for a client-facing organisation.

I think this misses a key point.

Most client facing organisations are trying to get their clients to give them money. That is why you spend money on entertainment.

Callaghan’s job is to give (our) money to their clients!