Editorial: Every move they make could prove expensive

Dick Quax. Photo / Dean Purcell

Often it can be the smallest things that speak loudest about character. So it was with the revelation this week that Manukau City councillor Dick Quax was paid mileage expenses of $1.54 for driving 2km to a community board meeting. Not $15.40 or $154. Or even $2. Just those perfectly precise one hundred and fifty-four cents.

Mr Quax has been one of the public tormentors of Manukau Mayor Len Brown over his failure to account adequately for spending on his mayoral credit card. The mayor breached council rules and apologised. Mr Quax did not breach rules. His travelling and payments seem to have been to the letter of the law, punctilious to the cent.

He did not let sentiment cloud his record-logging determination for accountability. As part of the $5037.21 in "general expenses" claimed between late 2007 and the end of May this year, he received payment for driving to an Anzac Day ceremony.

Some might argue our forefathers went to war to defend the right to be paid back the coins spent in service of the public. Jami-Lee Ross, another Manukau councillor who criticised Mr Brown's failings, also took reimbursement for his April 25 sacrifice.

While Mr Quax says "everything adds up" and the payments he took were justified, most readers in an nzherald.co.nz poll this week disagreed. Asked if they would claim $1.54 in expenses from their employers almost 80 per cent said "no".

The two councillors are C&R candidates for the Super City council. Their records indicate ratepayers can expect to pay for their every movement if elected. Taking the car out on their private campaign trails is obviously going to be hell.