$535/hour consultant, yet National Ticketing still delayed

The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is slamming the revelation that Waka Kotahi NZTA has so far spent $24.2 million on consultants, including a $535‑an‑hour consultant as part of the ever‑delayed National Ticketing System.

Taxpayers' Union Investigations Coordinator, Rhys Hurley, said:

"17 years in and the National Ticketing System is barely off the starting blocks. This $650‑per‑household project is years behind schedule, even though the public have been footing consultant bills for up to $535 an hour."

"How many more cost blowouts and missed deadlines does this project need before the government pulls the pin? The Greens are right to call out this ongoing rip‑off."

"It's time for the Minister of Transport to re‑scope this project. Shifting to just implementing a tried-and-tested PayWave model, while still allowing existing discounts cards, isn't admitting failure but a common‑sense win for taxpayers."