ARC's $16,000 cancellation of 'harmful' ads

By ANNE BESTON

An Auckland Regional Council's advertising campaign for its new rates rise was pulled off-air so suddenly the council ended up paying $16,000 for the ads anyway.

The radio ads were pulled two days before the campaign was due to finish as ratepayer fury erupted over the ARC's new rating system. The council incurred a late-cancellation penalty of $16,000, which it would have paid had the ads run.

The total advertising bill for the new rates system was $128,000. The ads promoted parks, environment and transport. The council also spent $172,000 on a brochure sent to Auckland homes in May and $76,000 on another brochure sent with rates bills.

An ARC spokesman said it decided the ads were doing more harm than good.

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