Health New Zealand spent $490,043.75 on a single advert featuring former Lotto presenter Russell Harrison, documents obtained by the Taxpayers’ Union reveal for the first time. Harrison, who remained suspended from the Ministry of Justice on full pay for years, was paid $3,000 to appear in the 30-second advertisement. Taxpayers’ Union Spokesman Tyler Groenewald said:“The $3,000 payment to Russell Harrison might grab the headlines, but the real scandal is that taxpayers were charged nearly half a million dollars for a 30-second ad.” “Health NZ has a legitimate role in communicating important health messages, but nearly half a million dollars for a single ad is impossible to justify while patients face long waits and frontline services remain under pressure.” The full Official Information Act response is available at: https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/revealed_health_nz_half_a_million_adNOTES:The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is an independent and membership-driven activist group, dedicated to being the voice for Kiwi taxpayers in the corridors of power.