OPINION: Free Tickets and Foggy Justifications

Article originally published on CityWatch.co.nz

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OPINION: Free Tickets and Foggy Justifications

Aug 8, 2025

By Graeme Mead (Hamilton West Ward Candidate)

Why Ratepayers Deserve Transparency

Hamilton ratepayers might be surprised to learn that elected councillors are regularly attending events like The Wiggles, Jimmy Carr, and Michael McIntyre, TNT fight night, LAB, Crowded House, Blackcaps Cricket, Rugby, and the list goes on, courtesy of complimentary tickets reserved under Council’s hospitality and entertainment policy. On paper, this policy is grounded in principles lifted from the Auditor-General’s good practice guide. The idea that any spending or access should have a dominant business purpose. That includes building relationships, advancing commercial objectives, representing the organisation, or reciprocating hospitality. But here’s the rub, how does attending a comedy gig or children’s variety show meet those standards? This information was supplied under a official information request (LGOIMA 491816). There is no value of the tickets given, but I would assume it could run into 10s and 10s of thousands of dollars.

Don’t get me wrong, corporate hospitality is a part of our culture, when businesses take clients to events, when they host lounges, that is all good and part of business operations. But this is elected councillors getting free stuff without reporting how it benefits the City

It’s hard to imagine what commercial advantage was gained from singing along to “Fruit Salad” or laughing through a punchline about British bureaucracy.

Was it networking with entertainers?

Negotiating civic partnerships in a haze of strobe lights and ABBA costumes?

Even if councillors argue they’re “representing the organisation,” ratepayers deserve to know what tangible benefit that representation delivered to the ratepayers

More concerning is the selective lack of transparency around sport, especially tickets to Clarke Lounge at FMG events during big rugby matches. While councillor attendance at pop and culture events is available via a LGOIMA, appearances at Clarke Lounge fixtures are cloaked in claims of “commercial sensitivity.” I requested the attendance information twice and was refused both times. But councillors aren’t anonymous staff, they are elected officials, entrusted to act in full public view. If they attend with the stated intent of furthering city opportunities, why not publicly confirm who went, and what business outcomes resulted?

This is a small snippet of the policy.

“Policy Access to Council facilities for official hospitality and entertainment

7.     A number of complimentary seats and/or tickets are set aside, by clients and hirers of Council facilities as part of their Venue Hire Agreement, for Council use.

8.     The events and number of complimentary tickets which are available will be communicated to the Chief Executive’s Office by the Events Facilities Unit, the Communication and Marketing Unit and the Community Services Group.

9.     In recognising their unique role in governance and representing the organisation, four (4) tickets to events at Clarence St Theatre; two (2) tickets to events at The Meteor and up to nineteen (19) tickets to the Clarke Lounge at Waikato Stadium will be allocated to elected representatives and their guests depending on availability (e.g.where such tickets can be procured from the event promoter and/or are not required for commercial purposes).”

Council policy insists that access to facilities should not be viewed as a perk, and that elected members must pay for their own food and drink unless specific business value is approved. That’s commendable in theory, but in practice, the lack of consistent reporting and accountability that is available to the ratepayers suggests a different culture, one of quiet benefit and minimal scrutiny. No community briefings. No post-event disclosures. No clear tie between the event and any economic, community, or civic advancement.

So, here’s the reasonable test by community standards: Would ratepayers expect their elected officials to go to a stand-up show, a tribute concert, or a rugby fixture on public resources, without clearly reporting why? Would they accept a “just trust us”when records are incomplete or withheld altogether?

The real issue isn’t just the ticket itself, it’s the implication that representation is happening behind closed doors, without feedback loops, without transparency, and without an honest discussion about what constitutes civic business. We don’t see social media posts of thanks for the tickets Hamilton City Council ratepayers. For ratepayers to even get tickets to these events is hard, as they sold out, and if we did, we have to pay.

If elected officials are attending events for free, the public deserves not just a record of who went,but a clear justification of why. Ratepayer-funded perks must meet a higher standard than vague principles and private assumptions. Anything less isn’t representation, it’s theatre, and I wonder what tickets will be available to attend the new theatre for free.

Here is a list of the events mentioned, with councillor names.

No record of the attendance at FMG stadium, but there was attendance there. However, Council would not give out that information. I wasn’t given the information of the quality of seats and/or if there was any hospitality offered, but it my understanding some events did include this offer. And in some cases double passes per councillor.

Swan Lake Ballet Kesh Naidoo-Rauf

The World of Musicals Angela O’Leary, Ewan Wilson

ABBA Tribute Show “Three double passes offered. No further details”

Blackcaps v Sri Lanka Mark Donovan, Andrew Bydder, Kesh Naidoo-Rauf

Sevens Mark Donovan, Ewan Wilson,Ryan Hamilton, Moko Tauariki

Jimmy Carr Geoff Taylor, Sarah Thomson, Andrew Bydder

Magic v Mystics Melaina Huaki

Michael McIntyre Emma Pike, Paula Southgate, Mark Donovan, Ryan Hamilton

The Proclaimers Paula Southgate, Mark Donovan, Ryan Hamilton

Forest Song Ballet  Andrew Bydder

The Ten Tenors Ewan Wilson, Angela O’Leary

The Exponents Ryan Hamilton, Paula Southgate, Maxime van Oosten

Magic v Pulse Melaina Huaki

Magic v Steel Melaina Huaki

NZ Highwaymen Paula Southgate

ANZ Premiership Final Paula Southgate, Maxinevan Oosten, Melaina Huaki, Emma Pike

Pink Floyd Experience Ryan Hamilton. Paula Southgate, Andrew Bydder

Chris Parker Paula Southgate, Mark Donovan, Louise Hutt

Ngaa Paki o Matariki Paula Southgate. Melaina Huaki

Baby Expo Kesh Naidoo-Rauf, Ewan Wilson

NZ Darts Masters Anna Casey-Cox, Paula Southgate, Andrew Bydder

Hamilton Brick Show Kesh Naidoo-Rauf, Maxine van Oosten, Anna Casey-Cox

Postmodern Jukebox Paula Southgate, Andrew Bydder

The Wiggles Kesh Naidoo-Rauf, Anna Casey-Cox

Women’s Lifestyle Expo Paula Southgate, Angela O’Leary, Mark Donovan

7 Days Live Paula Southgate, Mark Donovan, Kesh Naidoo-Rauf

Black Ferns Louise Hutt

Taini Jamison Trophy Louise Hutt, Moko Tauariki, Maxine van Oosten, Mark Donovan

Waikato Home and Garden Show Kesh Naidoo-Rauf, Paula Southgate, Angela O’Leary, Mark Donovan, Maxine van Oosten

Queen Tribute Show Angela O’Leary, Paula Southgate, Andrew Bydder, Anna Casey-Cox

Freestyle Kings Mark Donovan, Maxine van Oosten

Bill Bailey Paula Southgate, Emma Pike, Louise Hutt

Summer Concert Tour Paula Southgate, Mark Donovan, Anna Casey-Cox, Sarah Thomson

Russell Howard Maxine van Oosten, Louise Hutt, Paula Southgate

BLACKCAPS v South Africa (3Day) Mark Donovan (2 days), Emma Pike (2 days), Paula Southgate (2 days), Kesh Naidoo-Rauf

Michael Jackson Tribute Paula Southgate

Ice Skating Rink Kesh Naidoo-Rauf, Maxine van Oosten

Balloons Over Waikato Night Glow Maxine van Oosten, Emma Pike, Moko Tauariki, Anna Casey-Cox

Chopper Andrew Bydder

Pink Floyd Experience(second listing) Paula Southgate, Andrew Bydder, Anna Casey-Cox

NZ Highwaymen (second listing) Louise Hutt

L.A.B Louise Hutt, Paula Southgate, Maxine van Oosten

Great NZ Food Show Angela O’leary

Magic v Mystics (second listing) Melaina Huaki,  Mark Donovan

Magic v Tactix Melaina Huaki, Mark Donovan

Harlem Globetrotters Mark Donovan, Andrew Bydder

Ed Byrne Mark Donovan

Hamilton Brick Show (second listing) Angela O’Leary, Sarah Thomson

Darts Masters (second listing) Mark Donovan

Women’s Lifestyle Expo(second listing) Angela O’Leary

The Wiggles (second listing) Louise Hutt, Sarah Thomson

Waikato Home and Garden Show (second listing) Mark Donovan, Paula Southgate

TMT Fight Night  Angela O’Leary

All Whites v Vanuatu Louise Hutt, Anna Casey-Cox

Crowded House Louise Hutt, Andrew Bydder Paula Southgate

7 Days (second listing) Andrew Bydder

Plus approximately 30 games of rugby at FMG Stadium, including NPC, FPC, Super Rugby, Black Ferns and All Blacks. Hamilton City Council refused to release FMG stadium records of councillor attendance.

That is until the end of 2024 and covers 2 years and 2 months

No details were supplied for 2025.

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