Jason Walls is a political reporter for the New Zealand HeraldPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern has admitted she was "surprised" at the almost $12,000 taxpayer-funded bill for former Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters' farewell bash at Parliament. Despite this, Ardern said she has asked Foreign Affairs officials to look at the bill as it was surprising to her. Ardern said: "It was an opportunity for the diplomatic corps to farewell and acknowledges Winston Peters but also to meet the new Minister of Foreign Affairs." In fact, the event was listed on Mfat's website as a "celebration of Rt Hon Winston Peters' tenure as Foreign Minister". The Herald asked Mfat if the $12,000 cost was reasonable to farewell a politician but it did not respond.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 22, 2021 23:09 UTC