Styrian excitement

Millions in taxpayers’ money for external consultants

The lion's share was spent by the departments of LH Christopher Drexler of the ÖVP (left). His deputy Anton Lang and Provincial Councillor Ursula Lackner (both SPÖ) ranked 2nd and 3rd.

(Bild: Stock A., 3x Christian Jauschowetz Krone KREATIV,)

Last year, the Styrian government spent almost 2.5 million euros on bought-in expert opinions. Control mechanisms are largely absent, and those responsible are playing it cool.

Lawyers, marketing experts and tax consultants were once again nibbling away at the tax money cake in 2023. The Styrian government spent almost 2.5 million euros on bought-in consulting services and studies.

Questionable cash flows
Christopher Drexler's departments recently spent 925,411 euros, which clearly puts the ÖVP governor in first place. For example, 5,000 euros were paid out for services to Eisenerzer SimCampus GmbH, which is now battling in court over insolvency proceedings and other calamities.

Doris Kampus, State Councillor and SPÖ leader in Graz, needed the least support from outside.

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

SPÖ State Councillor for the Environment Ursula Lackner is in second place with 517,896 euros. Party colleague and Deputy Governor Anton Lang completes the podium with 319,684 euros. At the bottom of the table with 38,980 euros is Doris Kampus, the red state councillor for social affairs.

Some of the purchased services need to be critically scrutinized. More transparency in the form of an annual report would be good.

Mario Kunasek

"The highest degree of transparency"
Above all, the FPÖ criticizes the current practice, which largely lacks regulations and control mechanisms: "Since the black-red state government spends between two and four million euros on consulting services every year, the highest degree of transparency is required. Particularly in economically strained times, every potential saving on the part of the public sector must be exploited," says Mario Kunasek, Member of the Austrian Parliament.

FPÖ parliamentary group chairman Mario Kunasek.

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

"Giving priority to the development of internal expertise and only involving external experts in exceptional cases" was also recommended by the State Court of Audit under the leadership of Director Heinz Drobesch at the beginning of the year.

Complex matters
According to Drexler, the reason why the many civil servants in the individual specialist departments do not handle more tasks is due to the complexity of some of the issues: "A large part of the work in 2023 was consulting services for the purchase of Energie Steiermark shares. As this was one of the most significant transactions in the domestic energy sector in recent years, it was essential that we provided appropriate support."

In response to a question from Krone, SPÖ Provincial Councillor Lackner reacted in a similar way: "On the one hand, there are many legal requirements that require monitoring and surveys to be commissioned. On the other hand, strategic work in nature and climate protection needs a sound basis, for example for climate and energy strategies or biotope networks."