Peter Chin
Former Dunedin mayor Peter Chin poured $43,446.40 into
his failed bid to hold on to the mayoral robes, figures reveal.
Mr Chin paid the money to Dunedin-based agency T&D
Advertising and Marketing, which covered the cost of glossy
photographs, advertising and brochures, as well as managing
Mr Chin's campaign.
This year's spending was nearly double the $24,853 Mr Chin
spent during the run-up to the last local body elections in
2007, but less than the $52,662.36 he threw at the 2004
campaign to win the mayoralty for the first time.
This year's spending was detailed in paperwork listing
expenses and donations filed with Dunedin electoral officer
Pam Jordan since election results were confirmed last month.
Candidates have 55 days from the confirmation of results to
file a list of their expenses, as well as any donations
received of more than $1000.
So far, 37 candidates for council and community board seats
have filed their paperwork, along with 16 candidates for the
Otago Regional Council and Southern District Health Board.
Mr Chin's spending came within $11,553.60 of the $55,000
limit for Dunedin mayoral candidates.
However, Mr Chin was reluctant to discuss his campaign
yesterday, saying only he had always employed T&D
Advertising and Marketing to manage his campaign and had "no
difficulties with the work that they have done".
Financial returns for Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull and most of his
Greater Dunedin colleagues were not available on Friday, and
Mr Cull said when contacted he could not reveal the figures
yet.
Greater Dunedin candidates contributed varying amounts to a
collective fund, but expenses were still being collated by
the group's treasurer, he said.
They would then be divided by each candidate before being
released.
Mr Cull did not want to comment on Mr Chin's campaign or
spending, but said his own expenses "would not have been that
high".
Other candidates to have filed their expenses included Crs
John Bezett ($2072.39) and Syd Brown ($1085.29) - who both
won re-election - and ousted councillor Richard Walls
($3911.05) and unsuccessful candidate Andrew Whiley
($4534.09).
- chris.morris@odt.co.nz
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