Another MP landlord and tenant
November 26th, 2009 at 8:25 am by David FarrarThe Herald reports:
Lindsay Tisch’s arrangement meant the $410 a week he has been claiming from the public purse for his Wellington accommodation was paid to his own property investment company.
This made him landlord and tenant – with the taxpayer picking up the bill.
By using the company, Mr Tisch has been able to claim close to the maximum $24,000 a year in expenses that MPs from outside Wellington are entitled to for accommodation.
This is basically what the Greens also were doing, through their Super Fund. It is legal and within the rules, but it means an MP maximises the amount they can claim, rather than be restricted to interest only.
Other MPs are using similar arrangements to Mr Tisch, but Parliament’s Speaker Lockwood Smith last night denied it was a loophole and said he was happy for the practice to continue as long as the rent they claimed was based on an independent market valuation.
With respect, I disagree. Perception is all important, and I just think it is a bad look if an MP has any interest in a property that the taxpayer pays for – directly or indirectly.
I think the rules should change so that you can only claim rental expenses on Wellington accommodation you have no interest in.
He now has the apartment rented out privately.
Which is the best thing to do.
Related posts:
- Going overboard on the perks
- Greens to give up super fund getting taxpayer rent
- MPs expenses to be disclosed
- Jake Quinn on Bill English
November 26th, 2009 at 8:34 am
*grunt* *snort* *oink*
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Far better to shift to a bulk funding, $24,000 per annum for every out of town MP, irrespective of whether they live in a caravan or a mansion. All these problems then go away.
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 8:58 am
I think Mr Tisch got incompetent accounting advice.
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 9:16 am
PaulT’s solution is a sound one: just give out of town MPs a set allowance. Perhaps this should also include free air travel between an electorate and Wellington. I would add a free broadband connection and phone rental for out-of-town MPs, who have to maintain two homes.
Why should practical people from outlying NZ (that’s Auckland as well as Southland) be at a disadvantage in Parliament to Wellington wonkers?.
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Well done David for highlighting a National MP doing something which at the very least ‘looks’ like a rort; it would have been easy enough to let things slide when your own chaps do it, so yes, good blog post.
http://www.nightcitytrader.blogspot.com
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 9:44 am
You say
he now has the apartment rented out privately.
Which is the best thing to do.
BECAUSE HE HAS A FREE FLAT AT PARLIAMENT!!
But hes not the only one still doing this method of ripping off the taxpayer
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 9:45 am
I think PaulT has the problem nailed – give them an allowance and they can spend it how they like (or pocket it). No messy administration for expense claims, no problem with perceptions of troughing – although I can’t really see a problem with what they’ve done (or with what the Greens were doing for that matter).
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Those dirty lefties sucking at the public tit – eh?
Oh, wait…
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Liars all.
They know what they are doing and just because it is in the rules doesn’t make it right.
This highlights the double standard of our lives, when something isn’t illegal but not right.
There is a disconnection here between values for without common values you can’t have common sense.
We should change the system so it is part of their salary or buy a hotel and they have to stay there like Cactus Kate or someone suggested before.
Vote:Similarly we should make all of parliamentary services subject to OIA.
November 26th, 2009 at 10:36 am
When do we get to hear about Phil Goff’s double-dipping Wgtn accommodation arrangements in the MSM?
The public deserve to know if he has managed yet to “dispose of” his personal Wellington dwelling (rented out to Labour MPs) while he enjoys his gov-supplied freebie house. Goff promised months ago that he was going to tidy up his inconveniently exposed arrangement, but the MSM seem to have no appetite to publicise the Labour leader’s embarrasing set-up. While it’s evidently headline material for Tisch, it is “nothing to see here, move along please” for Goff.
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Come on now 3-coil – surely you don’t really expect Tracy Watkins or Vernon Small to comment negatively about Phil Goff, the Man Who Would be Prime Minister when there’s such a high-profile Nat as Tisch to lambast
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I honestly do not care. I got as far as politician and ceased to read. Just another one and us voting makes not one single bit of difference.
I’m sick of the useless thieving lot of them.
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Nice from the IRD that they have their first success in those who rent houses from their own LAQC’s.
Now that this one is high profile, can’t wait
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
3-coil … happy to be corrected but since when has the Leader of the Opposition been entitled to a Govt dwelling?
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
One more trougher and parasite exposed. The current political farce seems endless.
Vote:November 26th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Ross (7:36pm) – from the horse’s mouth, followed by much spluttering and stammering from Mr Goff that he was hurrying to tidy up the situation and that he was going to sell the Wellington residence he owned asap.
Edit: this was as at mid-2009 (when Bill English was being roasted)
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