Concerns about amount spent by retail crime prevention group

The amount spent by a group set up to look at retail crime continues to come under scrutiny. It's been revealed that the Ministerial Advisory Group for Victims of Retail Crime set up amid a worrying spike in retail crime, has cost around $500,000 over three and a half months. That includes nearly $330,000 on personnel costs; admin of $65,000; travel and accommodation of nearly $10,000; and $102,000 pay for group members fees, with most of that going to chairperson Sunny Kaushal's $95,000 paycheque. Mr Kaushal has defended the cost, saying that with $1.8 million available to the group, they're actually under-budget. The Ministry of Justice says the fees paid to the chairman included work from previous months and Kaushal had actually invoiced for 89 days of work, totalling $81,880, during the 102 day period covered. Retail NZ chief executive and member of the Ministerial Advisory Group Carolyn Young spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.