In a fresh blow to the Wellington City Council’s public credibility, new revelations suggest ratepayers may have footed the bill for more than just a mayoral portrait.

It has emerged that former mayor Tory Whanau not only had a large, framed portrait commissioned and paid for by the council, but the council also allegedly covered the cost of a social event attended by her friends and family. To add to the controversy, extra copies of the portrait were printed — again, at the council’s expense.

A formal request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) has now been lodged, seeking detailed information about how much taxpayer money was spent on the portrait, the prints and the event.

Critics are calling this yet another example of WCC misleading the public, mismanaging ratepayer funds and operating with a lack of transparency. The council’s handling of the matter raises serious questions about public accountability, cost-control and whether the elected leadership is serving the community’s interests or obscuring expenditure.

WCC now faces a choice: open the books to the public or continue risking further damage to its credibility and trust. The Whistleblowers will continue following this story closely as the LGOIMA request unfolds and more details surface.