The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority spent $3.2 million on communications staff and consultants in the past financial year - a third more than it spent in the previous year.
Documents released to Radio New Zealand show $1.2 million was spent on external communications consultants and contractors. That's an increase of $100,000 on the previous year.
The number of communications staff on salaries within the authority has doubled in the past financial year, but that is partly because the department has expanded to include administration, production and events staff.
The number of other communications staff has still risen by four, so the team now has 26 people in total.
