An Auckland councillor is gobsmacked at the spend on lawyers and consultants.

The council has paid out $190-million to the Big 4 global accountants and large law firms over the past five years.

It's an average cost to ratepayers of more than $100,000 a day.

Councillor Mike Lee told Mike Hosking it's deeply troubling and there's been a lack of transparency.

He says the scale of spending was hidden from the council and Mayor and it's time to open up the books.

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