None of these cretinous shits are fit to run this country and the majority of them sure as fuck prance about like they are in it for the perks, the game, being seen on Breakfast with Paul Henry and his vacant sidekick. Anything but good governance.

How can any of them justify pissing public funds away taking the mrs on a holiday when they are paid what they are? It is unbelievable, I am truly dumbfounded by the lack of accountability or reality of these people.

Every dollar should be accounted for by these thieves (labour, national, green, act whatever). It’s as embarrassingly immoral as a charity fundraiser spending peoples donations to take their mates on the piss in the name of fundraising.

Disgusting wankers. Any of them that have unnecessarily spent a cent of yours or mine and you’d do well to remember that next time they ask for your support to represent the nation.

Dunne, Carter hold out on perk
By MARTIN KAY – The Dominion Post
Last updated 05:00 10/11/2009

Two ministers who used their travel perks to spend thousands taking their wives on official overseas trips are refusing to follow Rodney Hide’s lead and refund the fares.

But a wave of bad publicity over the generous travel perks for MPs and their spouses has finally forced some ministers to pledge not to use the subsidies for overseas holidays until the economy improves.

Yesterday Mr Hide repaid nearly $12,000 he used to take girlfriend Louise Crome on an official trip to Britain, Canada and the United States. The ACT leader and local government minister had already repaid $10,000 for the couple’s holiday in Hawaii.

Prime Minister John Key told ministers in June to use their own money if they wanted their spouses with them on business overseas.

But though he has refused permission for Ministerial Services to fund spouses’ travel, he is powerless to stop ministers using their MPs’ travel perks.

MPs receive subsidies on international travel for themselves and their spouses or partners according to their length of service. A fifth-term MP such as Mr Hide gets the maximum 90 per cent rebate.

His decision to repay Ms Crome’s fare has put pressure on Revenue Minister Peter Dunne and Agriculture Minister David Carter to follow suit.

Mr Dunne spent about $12,000 taking wife Jennifer Mackrell to Europe in June. Mr Carter took wife Heather to Europe in July, but the cost has not been disclosed.

Mr Dunne would not say whether he would repay his wife’s fare. Mr Carter’s office indicated he would not refund the cost of his wife’s travel, but she would not go with him at taxpayers’ expense in future.

The Dominion Post has established that Police Minister Judith Collins used her perks to take husband David Wong-Tung on an official trip to Perth at a cost of $775.65.

She defended the spending as she was attending a conference of Australian state ministers, at which there was a function to which spouses were specifically invited. “Frankly, I think he gave very good value for money in terms of helping me represent New Zealand in my very first official meeting with the other ministers …”

Her husband, a former policeman with Samoan heritage, could have used her 50 per cent subsidy to travel to Samoa to help after the tsunami, but paid his own way.

Those other ministers who have confirmed using the perk for overseas breaks indicated they would not repay it, but several said they would stop using it while the economy was in trouble.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp spent $3484 for his and wife Denise Henare’s holiday in the Cook Islands. He would not repay it, but would forgo the perk. “Although it is part of my remuneration, I will not be using it again in the current economic climate.”
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Justice Minister Simon Power claimed $3991 of the $5475 cost of taking wife Lisa to Perth in January, but would not make any further claims. Housing Minister Phil Heatley spent $924 taking wife Jenny to the Cook Islands, and would also not use the perk again.

Education Minister Anne Tolley spent $4120 for her and husband Allan to holiday overseas at an undisclosed destination and Health Minister Tony Ryall claimed $2560 to travel with wife Kara to Rarotonga.

Their offices did not say whether they would follow Mr Hide’s lead or would continue to use the subsidy for overseas holidays.

$40,000 JUNKET BILL

A $40,000 bill was run up by MPs and their spouses on the trip that landed Maori Party MP Hone Harawira in hot water.

The cost was roughly shared between the three MPs, so worked out at $13,300 for travel and accommodation.

The Office of the Speaker confirmed yesterday that the three MPs on the trip – Mr Harawira, National MP Katrina Shanks and Labour MP Rajen Prasad – all took their spouses with them.

The cost was covered by the Office of the Clerk, including the cost of spouses. But a spokesman said the cost was no more than it would have been for the MPs to travel alone, as they flew economy class, instead of business class, as MPs are entitled to.

Postscript; It appears that it doesn’t stop there. Here’s another couple of miscreants.

Northland MP John Carter’s bill for spousal travel for the nine months of the year so far was the next highest – he topped $31,000 – and ACC Minister Nick Smith’s was third highest, $26,000.

The figures are on top of their own domestic travel and ministerial official travel and could be a mixture of spouses, children and private international holidays.

Mr Carter married wife Leoni in January last year and Dr Smith married Linley Newport in April this year.

A conspirisy so cunning it could be a family of weasels…watch this space.

First arrange yourself an entitlement to discounted holiday airfares as Parliament has done for itself.

You imply there is something improper about using it that somehow Hide broke a rule.

He didn’t.

What he did do is break his own self imposed standards which are and were higher. He has apologised, refunded and asked for forgiveness.

Of course if it is morally unacceptable for one MP to exercise the entitlement to discounted holiday airfares then its wrong for all.

Simple as that.

Forgetting we are discussing Rodney for a moment here, imagine this. I’ll write myself a cheque for a holiday instead of paying my prov tax or my GST. If the media get hold of it – then I’ll pay it back. You all good with that?

So what you are saying is that the same person who has made a career out of being a perk buster is justified in falling for the baubles of office because no law was broken ?

I didn’t say that at all. I was pointing out that what Hide did was not illegal, it was not theft as a servant that you were comparing him too.

I’ve been quite critical of what Hide did because of the principles he trampled on. But I’m also willing to accept his apology and repayments in good faith and am prepared to give him a chance to redeem himself.

I am not a Labour Party supporter, especially at the present time, although I think it would benefit everyone if Labour sorted their shit out and became a strong opposition party and contributed positively to our parliament. I prefer that all parties and MPs are capable and principled, including Act. Except maybe NZ First, I’ve written them off.

Fale Andrew Lesa, I do understand what you are saying, I think there are others who are confusing principles with legalities – Burt at least inferred law breaking.

The inference is drawn from you posting stressing your previous membership and financial support of ACT.

There is no comparision with Winston.

$154K not refunded to Parliamentary Service where the Auditor General said it breached his view of the rules. ACT refunded its $17k without debate.

$100k taken in donations re routed away from the party to special accounts that should have been disclosed as part of the NZ1 Party return of donations.

No comparision actually. Get a grip.

I will email Phil Goff.

Don’t know if you remember Mark Latham (ex ALP leader) who made it an election promise to scale back some of the Australian parliaments ridiculously over the top superannnuation payments. John Howard matched him the next day.

About the only useful thing Mark Latham did.

” All I can say is it appears you have been upset with ACT for a while.”

How could you possibly infer that?

Look it is really really simple: Rodney had my respect and support because he was a man of principle. He was the first to stand up and say “NO – we shouldn’t do that” when it came to MPs getting their grubby hands into my wallet for their own pleasure.

Hell he use to have video clips on his blog discussing shit like MPs not needing business class travel around NZ – $50 is a lot of money to a truck driver….

But to clarify – I’m not upset with ACT, I’m pissed with Rodney acting like Winston.

All I can say is it appears you have been upset with ACT for a while. You will be equally demanding of all the National MP’s who have been using this discount holiday airfares scheme. The problem you have is the entire Parliament is at it. And its all within the rules that the Speaker has made on behalf of Parliament. Rodney Hide is the first (and probably the only MP) to refund the discount that he is lawfully entitled too. Some rare and special MP’s may holiday and wisely not apply for the discount.

Pete:

The discount on holiday airfares has nothing to do with the entitlement that all MP’s enjoy for various discounts on holiday airfares. Key’s edict related to Ministerial travel – nothing to do with holiday airfares discount.

bchapman:

Read my post above. Now send an email to Phil Goff and ask him will he back a winding up of the scheme so that no MP or ex MP gets a discount on holiday travel. And while you are at it copy in Jonathan Hunt, largely the architect of the scheme.

And then an email to Chris Carter – ask him will he match or better Rodney Hide. It would be like a reverse aunction – except the taxpayer wins everytime.

Is a $100,000 + excess just not enough for our MP’s? Does this recession exclude parliamentarians?

Do legal aid lawyers take free holidays at the expense of the government? if not, why not? aren’t they devoting themselves to the state as well? …
Should social welfare officers be entitled to free food vouchers for their hard work and devotion? despite their $50, 000 salaries and other benefits.

Where does the line get painted here? Where are the boundaries and restraints drawn?

It’s a bit like corporate leaders accepting pay bonuses in the deep midst of the global recession (at the expense of government assistance) – down right disgusting!

I will not hesitate to condemn Rodney Hide for what he is – a man of smoke and little substance. Actions speak a lot louder than words!

Is this correct or am I missing something here?

So what you are saying is that the same person who has made a career out of being a perk buster is justified in falling for the baubles of office because no law was broken ?

Sorry – not good enough. But to get past the partisan hackery shit let me explain something very clearly. I was and ACT party member, I use to donate to ACT because of the strong perk busting stance that Rodney took.

No apology makes up for the complete stupidity Rodney has shown and paying it back just highlights how wrong his actions were.

I still agree with the ACT party philosophy/ideology, but I think Rodney has made his position untenable.

If Winston had done this last year Rodney would have said he should resign – just like I’m saying now about Rodney. ACT will be better off without him. Unlike a Labour party supporter, I don’t think “the leader” is more important that the integrity of the party.

If an MP rorts thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of dollars for private gain then we get all high and mighty and they pay it back… then we all move on.

Some poor bugger who works in a service station or a dairy who plucks $5 from the till to pay for bus fare – different story – theft as a servant charges are almost a certainty, he/she will loose their job AND have a conviction AND be required to pay it back. What a different world we would live in if anyone who stole stuff only needed to say sorry and pay it back. We wouldn’t need half as many prisons as we need today and a massive chunk of the crimes act could be struck from the statue books.

Rodney should resign, just like he said Winston should have resigned, just like Helen should have resigned… But I guess Rodney has one set of rules for others and one set for himself…. The same set for himself that he said Winston should not have been allowed to have. What a disgrace !