Taxpayers' Union Slams New Zealand Police for $320,000 Podcast Series

New Zealand's Taxpayers' Union has criticised the country's Police force for spending $320,000 on a podcast series, calling it a "waste" of money.

The Offbeat podcast series launched this year, with episodes featuring interviews with police staff and coverage of issues such as mental health, domestic violence and cybercrime.

Despite being promoted on major platforms, the series has only garnered 15,400 downloads to date, at a cost of approximately $21 per download.

The Union has suggested the money would have been better spent visiting schools to encourage students to join the police.

The force has not revealed whether downloads of the series have translated into a boost in recruitment.