Invercargill Council Sister City Junkets Back On The Table

Invercargill City Council has approved plans to send delegations to its sister cities overseas, despite ongoing concerns about cost and public perception. The council agreed this week to travel to Kumagaya, Japan, in July 2027 and Suqian, China, in April 2028.

While the trips have been confirmed, key details, including who will attend and how they will be funded, remain undecided. Early estimates provided by staff suggest a five-person delegation would cost around $16,000 for Kumagaya and $8,000 for Suqian.

The decision prompted a wide-ranging debate among councillors. Councillor Marcus Lush voiced strong concerns, saying the trips were seen by the public as a “treat for councillors”.

“We would have much more goodwill in the community if we didn’t do it. I think we could path through some of the more unpopular moves if we weren’t spending all this money for people to go overseas.

“I don’t think it’s our core business.”

Lush suggested councillors who wished to travel could pay their own way, at least while households continue to face cost-of-living pressures. Councillor Allan Arnold supported this view, stating it was not appropriate to fund such trips with ratepayer money during financially difficult times.

However, not all councillors agreed. Ria Bond argued that elected members should not be expected to self-fund official travel, although she also expressed opposition to continuing the relationship with Suqian.

Ian Pottinger questioned the value of the partnership, saying he had not observed any clear benefits from the Suqian relationship during his time on council.

Others highlighted potential advantages. Darren Ludlow pointed to school exchanges and economic links with Kumagaya, and said Suqian could offer even greater economic opportunities. He also rejected suggestions the trips were leisure-focused, stating they were not junkets or holidays.

Alex Crackett emphasised the need to treat both sister cities equally, while Andrea de Vries said it was important the right representatives were chosen.

A report presented to the council noted the most recent trips took place in 2018 for Suqian and 2023 for Kumagaya. The Kumagaya trip cost $36,207 and drew criticism at the time, including over the purchase of a suitcase to transport gifts.

The council ultimately approved the upcoming trips, with an understanding that decisions around participation and funding will be revisited closer to the travel dates. Invercargill has maintained its sister city ties with Kumagaya since the 1990s and with Suqian since 2013.