'Vindicated' Butler calls for inquiries

Stadium opponent Bev Butler feels vindicated, and is calling for councillors who supported it to resign, plus forensic audits and an independent inquiry.

At 4pm yesterday, Ms Butler left the Dunedin City Council meeting to read a statement outside the Municipal Chambers.

She told the Otago Daily Times the PricewaterhouseCoopers Forsyth Barr Stadium costs report confirmed "everything the stadium critics said".

The review showed, on top of an accrued $18 million in interest not budgeted for, there was $8.4 million overspent in stadium project costs, lifting the final cost from $198 million to $206.5 million.

Ms Butler said ratepayer contributions amounted to $162.7 million, highlighting the lack of private funding obtained.

Carisbrook Stadium Trust (CST) spent $1.7 million beyond its $3.7 million budget - and all without council approval, the report said.

Ms Butler said $1.2 million of those invoices had no spending details, raising more concerns.

She requested on behalf of Dunedin's citizens that pro-stadium councillors "resign immediately and a full independent inquiry of this stadium scandal now take place".

She also requested a forensic audit of the CST, and the Otago Rugby Football Union before any bail-out was confirmed.

 

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