It’s almost time for our second annual Jonesie Awards, celebrating the ‘best of the worst’ of wasteful spending across central and local government.
The Jonesies are our golden glitz and glamour Oscars-style award ceremony held at parliament where the Taxpayers’ Union (firmly tongue-in-cheek) recognise those most specious examples of waste.
The Awards have been created to honour the civil servants, government agencies and politicians who signify government waste, over-spending, excessive regulation, lack of accountability, or any combination of the four. A Jonesie may be awarded on the basis of past accomplishments or on a promised initiative.
The extent of the waste is not the only criteria for a Jonesie nomination – some relatively small spending items have previously earned nominations thanks to the absurdity of the spending or how they encapsulate a culture of waste or extravagance within a given council, government department, or publicly funded agency.
Last year’s winners included Auckland Council for its $91,000 “vegan-approved” goat hunt (in which no goats were killed), and the Film Commission for its “Power Rangers pavlova” which saw Warner Brothers paid $1.6 million in taxpayer money to include a Kiwi pav in a children’s TV show. Shane Jones took home the golden swine for Lifetime Achievement in Waste.
We’re now seeking your nominations for the most appalling or absurd uses of taxpayer or ratepayer money to emerge in the last year. Nominations close at 5pm on 20 September.
There are three categories:
- Local Government
- Central Government
- Lifetime Achievement Award
Tell us who deserves to be honoured with a Jonesie this year.
Click here to submit your nomination.
This year’s award ceremony will be on Thursday 3 October at Parliament.