Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Public sector spending in New Zealand is out of control, and everyday Kiwis are getting hammered while receiving zero results. In this episode, Duncan Garner calls out the massive waste of taxpayers' money across failed infrastructure projects and bloated consultant fees.
More than $106 million has been poured into planning a second Auckland Harbour crossing, yet no decision has been made on whether it will be a bridge or a tunnel. Add in $229 million burnt on Auckland Airport Light Rail without laying a meter of track, and $51 million wasted on a canceled harbour cycleway, and we are left with a multi-million-dollar paper trail of reports and studies, and zero construction.
Meanwhile, official figures show public service organizations and Crown entities spent over $2.4 billion on external contractors and consultants in a single year. With families cutting back and basic services struggling, we ask why the government keeps paying private consultants to do work the public service should handle, and who is being held accountable when these multi-million-dollar projects are abandoned.
00:00:00 The $106M Harbour Crossing Disaster
00:03:08 $229M Wasted on Airport Light Rail
00:04:41 The $51M Cycleway to Nowhere
00:06:11 $2.4 Billion Spent on Consultants
00:12:35 Demanding Real Accountability for Taxpayer Cash
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCSypyI8wbnZgJDYY0VCdwJQ/join
Get in touch with Duncan - duncan@rova.nz and join us on the socials.
Website: rova.nz/podcasts/duncan-garner-editor-in-chief-live
Instagram: @DuncanGarnerpodcast
TikTok: @DuncanGarnerpodcast
Public sector spending in New Zealand is out of control, and everyday Kiwis are getting hammered while receiving zero results. In this episode, Duncan Garner calls out the massive waste of taxpayers' money across failed infrastructure projects and bloated consultant fees.
More than $106 million has been poured into planning a second Auckland Harbour crossing, yet no decision has been made on whether it will be a bridge or a tunnel. Add in $229 million burnt on Auckland Airport Light Rail without laying a meter of track, and $51 million wasted on a canceled harbour cycleway, and we are left with a multi-million-dollar paper trail of reports and studies, and zero construction.
Meanwhile, official figures show public service organizations and Crown entities spent over $2.4 billion on external contractors and consultants in a single year. With families cutting back and basic services struggling, we ask why the government keeps paying private consultants to do work the public service should handle, and who is being held accountable when these multi-million-dollar projects are abandoned.
00:00:00 The $106M Harbour Crossing Disaster
00:03:08 $229M Wasted on Airport Light Rail
00:04:41 The $51M Cycleway to Nowhere
00:06:11 $2.4 Billion Spent on Consultants
00:12:35 Demanding Real Accountability for Taxpayer Cash
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCSypyI8wbnZgJDYY0VCdwJQ/join
Get in touch with Duncan - duncan@rova.nz and join us on the socials.
Website: rova.nz/podcasts/duncan-garner-editor-in-chief-live
Instagram: @DuncanGarnerpodcast
TikTok: @DuncanGarnerpodcast
