Another unfortunate decision has come to light about a Government pamphlet eulogising this year's budget.
But as you gaze at the happy family who are pictured on the front, do not be fooled into thinking they are Kiwis.
Because they aren't.
They look like a happy family, perhaps a little too happy. They are in fact an American family photographed for an American website that sells generic stock shots.
Their veneered smiles grace the cover of the budget leaflet, Michael Cullen's budget, not that he has got anything to do with it.
"I have no idea about that sorry," says Mr Cullen. "I don't have anything to do with the creation of those brochures."
He is probably also not aware the Australian government liked the photo too, and used it for an affordable housing document.
These taxpayer-funded leaflets extolling the virtues of last month's budget will be distributed across the country. National says they are a joke.
"It's an embarrassment isn't it?" says National's Bill English. "Not as embarrassing as using a large amount of public money for the pamphlet, but you would think they could find a New Zealand family that wanted to be in their pamphlets."
Stock shots from the website cost as little as $20 an image and are easily downloaded. New Zealand has its own version - Photo New Zealand.
Images from this site are taken by Kiwis, of Kiwis and cost between $750 and $1500, but the images are rights managed, so would not turn up in another government's leaflets.
Prime Minister Helen Clark is relaxed about the use of the American family photo, and says the choice was based on cost. Photographers 3 News spoke to were disappointed the Government did not buy New Zealand made, but many acknowledged to do so would have cost the taxpayer a lot more money: a case of damned-if-you-do and damned-if-you-don't.