4 Aug 2017

Brownlee's calendar 'cancels' New Year's Eve

6:27 pm on 4 August 2017

Everybody enjoys a party, but perhaps not the National Party.

Gerry Brownlee calendar

Photo: Supplied

A calendar Gerry Brownlee sent out to 30,000 of his constituents in Ilam includes a number of important errors, including the apparent cancellation of New Year's Eve.

The night is traditionally a time for looking back on the year that was and making resolutions for the year ahead while partying with friends and family.

But Mr Brownlee's calendar appears to have cancelled all of the fun.

According to this otherwise bland looking piece of promotional material, this year there is no 31 December - the night's been called off.

Also missing is 30 April and a whole two days are missing from the end of July.

And in Ilam, the next school holidays will start on 25 September, a week earlier than the rest of the country.

Mr Brownlee said the calendars, which cost $6000 to produce, were paid for by parliamentary services - in other words with taxpayers' money - and were intended as a means of sharing his contact details with his constituents.

His office was alerted to the mistake by a member of the public.

"Rather than just being a card, we put the calendar on there thinking that people might find that useful.

"I guess losing three days off it is pretty embarrassing, particularly since the last day lost is the 31st of December and that's my brother's birthday and also my sister-in-law's birthday so I hope they won't take it too personally."

He's unsure if the $6000 cost of the calendar has been reimbursed.

"I'm not sure what details were entered in to. I know it was paid for before the mistake was discovered.

"There's always a discussion about who signed off what. I personally didn't sign it off. But I've got very good staff and it's one of those embarrassing things that can happen."

Mr Brownlee notes that while the end dates are missing from April, July and December, all months on the calendar start on the correct days.