Private cocktail party with front-row seats for politicians costs ratepayers $12K

On 29 April 2024, Manurewa ratepayers funded a private cocktail party costing $12,843.64 to mark the early centenary of Nathan Homestead — an exclusive event that shut out the public and gave front-row seats to politicians.

The event was held shortly before the Homestead closed for restoration and earthquake strengthening. Around 70 guests attended, including Councillor Daniel Newman, Manurewa Local Board Chair Matt Winiata, Deputy Chair Glenn Murphy, Local Board members Heather Andrew and Anne Candy.

Matt Winiata and Daniel Newman on the left seated in the front row at the ratepayer-funded event on 29 April 2024 — with camera at the ready.

While the public were excluded from the celebration, politicians Winiata and Newman enjoyed front-row seats to live band performances and 1920s-style dancers.

Detailed costs of the cocktail party shown below were obtained by a local resident under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.

Local board member Joseph Allan told Stuff he refused to attend the event after advocating for it to be open to the public and discovering alcohol was included.

“When the Board first discussed the event I said it should be opened to the public because they have a connection with the homestead,” Allan said.

On discovering liquor was going to be served just days before the event, Allan responded, “The spending is particularly jarring given that the Manurewa Local Board has a dedicated work programme line item focused on alcohol harm reduction, with $30,000 allocated for the 2025–2026 financial year to support advocacy and initiatives in this space.”

Angela Cunningham-Marino, first elected to the board in 2010, also chose to boycott the event saying “In previous years the Manurewa Local Board funded Jazz at Nathan which entertained hundreds of residents at a similar cost. This was an exclusive indoor celebration which shut out the local community.”

Glenn Murphy and Matt Winiata in the $940 photo booth. Cost details were supplied under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.

Board member Andrew Fale Lesa said, “It is deeply incongruent that while vulnerable families in the area struggle, and the Board claims to prioritise reducing alcohol harm, elected representatives were enjoying front-row seats at a cocktail-fuelled event — courtesy of the ratepayer.”

Ally Billaney, a local community leader who works in alcohol harm reduction, agreed. “To know that there was a closed-door event and the community wasn’t invited, was disappointing. I just don’t think that the money was wisely spent for the community, to be honest. All good, if they want to have a party, but I don’t know why at the expense of the community.”

Neither Lesa nor Billaney attended the event — which featured an open cocktail bar that cost $1,899.05.

Under Auckland Council’s T&Cs a liquor license was not needed for an event such as this. A security guard was required, and provided.

Speaking to Stuff, Manurewa Local Board Chair Matt Winiata, who attended the event, said the board was not presented with the cost “at any stage”.

Allan disputes the claim the Chair was blindsided. “When staff presented options board members said yes to everything and kept asking for more. It was patently obvious to me that the cost of the event was going to be of that order.”

“As a former Chair I know the Chair and Deputy have weekly meetings with staff to stay on top of these things. I was not privy to those meetings but can only imagine the right questions were not asked.”