ORC Chair Andrew Noone said the council happily accepted that remuneration was unchanged from the previous year.

“The determination makes no changes to Otago Regional Council elected members’ remuneration, which we feel is a sensible and appropriate decision given the Covid-19 pandemic and its financial impact on people right across the country.

“ORC withdrew from our reserves this year to avoid an increase in general rates, and we worked hard to keep targeted rate increases to a minimum. We know a lot of businesses and families have had to tighten the purse strings and are facing uncertain times. In that context, we are in full agreement with the determination not to increase pay for elected members.”

No reductions were made to the Chair’s salary by the Remuneration Authority, as the ORC Chair at the time, Hon Marian Hobbs, has donated 10 percent of her salary over the last six months to Dunedin and Queenstown-based charities. This commitment was made alongside the Otago Mayoral Forum in March 2020 to recognise the impacts of Covid-19.