Mayoral bid cost Chin $43,446

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).
By Chris Morris on Mon, 1 Nov 2010
- chris.morris@odt.co.nz