Bellamys and Valentines
The Dom Post reports:
A meal at Bellamys – Parliament’s exclusive MPs dining room – costs about as much as a meal at a popular budget restaurant chain.
The recession has sparked fresh debate about Parliament’s in-house catering service being subsidised by taxpayers; it gets a $300,000 subsidy, though the full extent of the subsidy is worth about $600,000, according to Treasury papers.
That is once buildings, facilities, systems and management fees are taken into account.
Parliamentary Service argues that removing the subsidy would raise prices and lower demand.
Its menu shows that prices are on a par with popular family restaurant chain Valentines, at between $23 and $29 for a main, though side dishes are extra.
The price is not the only common factor between Bellamys and Valentines – the quality of the food is similiar also.
My long standing preference is to replace Bellamys with a food court. You could have a sushi bar, a sandwich outlet, a McDonalds, a Chinese outlet and MPs and staff would patronise the ones that provide decent food for them. Competition is what is needed.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:29 am
I’d replace it too. I don’t expect my employer to provide me with a subsidised canteen and since I’m already paying MPs a more than average salary, as their employer I would rather not have to dip into my pocket to pay for their food as well.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:43 am
DPF said: You could have a … McDonalds…
Paula Bennett would probably be delighted, but Sue Kedgley definitely would not.
[DPF: And Sue would not have to eat there. That is the whole point of that choice thing]
July 1st, 2009 at 8:47 am
Not only that. We’re also paying MPs an expense allowance that covers meals!
For me, put it on the Ground Floor; an internal door for MPs and staff to use, and an external door that opens it to the public. People will want to eat there. And the lobbyists will ensure it’s never other than busy
July 1st, 2009 at 8:49 am
MPs are too bloody lazy to wander up to Courtney Place and grab something there. They don’t deserve more than a steak and cheese pie. Hell even Winston had enough energy to get to the Green Parrot, down a few with his meals and start fights with everybody.
[DPF: They can only leave the premises between 6 pm and 7.30 pm on sitting nights]
July 1st, 2009 at 8:51 am
You’re actually something of a complete arsehole aren’t you toad. Stick up for the people, right up untill they’re a member of another party then you sneer at them. Way to be in touch toad.
But then not that many of us are clever enough to be sucking on the public teat while spam commenting.
As far as I’m concerned all politicans get paid MORE than enough to buy their own damned lunch.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:07 am
GE 8.47
Totally agree. Took the words out of my mouth. Ahem keyboard.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:12 am
Replace Bellamys with what ever you like but remove the subsidy immediately.
A food court sounds like a great idea, and yes, I would want to see a McD’s there for those who want to use it and for no other reason than it would piss off the Greens.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:27 am
Toughers. MP’s need to stop spending tax-payer on themselves!
July 1st, 2009 at 9:42 am
“MPs are too bloody lazy to wander up to Courtney Place and grab something there.”
Bloody hell! It is obvious from that post you don’t know Wellington very well.
Courtney Place is a good 30 minute plus walk from Parliament. I know Politicians have a reputation in some quarters for being slackers but I’d suggest taking an hour just to get to and from lunch every day would be taking it too far even for them.
As for the Green Parrot, I think you will find that Mr Peters spent his nocturnal hours there rather than lunches.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:44 am
The issue here is not the subsidised food so much as the fact that Bellemy’s caters for state functions. Now this may very well be able to be performed by an external Caterer but that is where the debate should be not how much a standard dinner costs there.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:03 am
MPs and their dining habits just go to show that there is such a thing as a free lunch.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:12 am
Choice… competition…. come on DPF – we all know that a monopoly is the way of the future… Why would value for money and choice even be a consideration when you have the tax payer footing the bill…
July 1st, 2009 at 10:17 am
Or, to go completely mad, how about politicians support local businesses — which, I suspect, could do with all the patronage they can get in this time of global economic crisis?
July 1st, 2009 at 10:26 am
What no Fish & Chip outlet in the proposed Food Court
A cultural icon overlooked!
July 1st, 2009 at 10:34 am
DPF
I suspect the “must be onsite” rules are a hangover from a time when there were no cellphones. Change the rule so that they must be no more than 15 minutes from parliament and shut Bellamys down completely. Local food stores will benefit and no more tax payer money will be used providing perks that are a relick of the 1900′s.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:54 am
“You could have a sushi bar, a sandwich outlet, a McDonalds, a Chinese outlet and MPs and staff would patronise the ones that provide decent food for them. “
Haha. DPF is so hung up on “choice” that he wants the politicians to eat in some Westfield food court. It’d be funny if he wasn’t so serious!!
July 1st, 2009 at 11:00 am
MPs and parliamentary staff have Copperfields which is a low budget place already. I suspect it’s got more atmosphere that Bellamys.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:13 am
I think I saw a Trisha’s Pies delivery truck backing up to offlices of Parakura Horomia and Gerry Brownlee.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:43 am
Having this facility is a waste of taxpayers’ money. It should be abolished. This was set up in the days when there were very few eating establishments around. Now there are plenty. Many staff chose to get decent food away from this facility anyway. Abolish it.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:45 am
What we should be insisting on that MPs have a healthy meal delivered to them whilst they are working.
Sort of like the Indian system for office workers where Mum packs the curry meal and its delivered anywhere in the city still hot.
It would allow them to maximise the productive time WE are paying for and also keep their wastelines under control
And it would save money.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:15 pm
“the full extent of the subsidy is worth about $600,000, according to Treasury papers.
That is once buildings, facilities, systems and management fees are taken into account.”
Presumably the Press Gallery have come up with an appropriately contrived argument outlining exactly why Bellamy’s should pay rent for their accommodation and why the representatives of commercial media outlets shouldn’t.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Rocco LOL – everyone knows that to a politician, publicity is more important than eating!
July 1st, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Keep Bellamys and also the subsidy. I beleive a large number of our MPs work hard with long hours, plus have to live in a Goldfish bowl for most of each and every day. To have somewhere to go out of the eyes of the public and the press is not to much to ask for at least a dinner break.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:20 pm
GJ
There are plenty of people who will take the place of MP’s who don’t like doing their job. If shutting down Bellamys causes some to leave parliament then parliament is better off without them.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:24 pm
On that premise, $23-$29 a main seems a tad expensive. Hell, for that (or near to it) I can get a good fillet at most places i frequent. The government is being ripped off.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Bellamy’s provides MPs with a place to take their guests for lunches and dinners. It at least has that function. Could you say the same about a McDonalds and sushi court?
July 1st, 2009 at 4:07 pm
On that premise, $23-$29 a main seems a tad expensive. Hell, for that (or near to it) I can get a good fillet at most places i frequent. The government is being ripped off.
Most R.S.A. Clubs I have visited turn on a pretty good meal for under $12….You can take your guests there too….Most of the MPs seem to be obese and are obviously eating too much.
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:22 am
Gosman – 30 minutes to walk from the Beehive or Bowen House to Courtney Place???! You fat bastard.
Between the Beehive and Courtney Pl there are a few decent pubs to choose from – and even Backbenchers puts on a half decent effort and that’s only across the road. Put it this way, from my experience eating in Bellamys, the food aint that great and I’d have been happier popping down to Occidental. Why should our politicians be locked away inside when they should be contributing to local business?
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:57 am
The MP’s could be provided with a kitchen and then they could cook there own food.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:09 am
Even better OECD. If it is good enough for the workers then it is more than good enough for the people who steal a portion of their earnings every day.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:25 am
It’s great to see the public wade into politicians. Most can take it, but I think we’re clutching at some illogical straws.
I have never eaten at Bellamy’s, I’ve heard mixed reports about it.
However when you realize the large community it caters for in the parliamentary complex and the fact that most MP’s and cabinet ministers want a convenient and quick area to eat lunch why shouldn’t they have it. If you don’t like that stand for parliament and change the system.
Personally I think it is good that politicians do have lunch on site where they can discuss matters free from distractions in the community. A great place to network with and across party lines. We pay them for that !
People who think “poly’s” are on to a good thing need to think again. Peopple abuse them, can cut their careers short, live terrible family lives- not for me.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:30 am
Neil
I think you missed something – people want to be MP’s. They don’t give the job up easily and some really crooked ones even steal tax payers money to keep their jobs. It might not be for you but clearly some love it.
If they love it then I don’t see why we need to make it more attractive for them providing benefits and perks that have long since departed from a “normal” workplace. All big companies use to have subsidised cafe’s. Not any more. Parliament of course has no need to be accountable because they serve themselves and make their own rules with our money.