Tell me I’m wrong – did I hear Crusher Collins say she wasn’t going to name the tenant in her flat because she wanted to protect the individual’s privacy? F F S !!!
why do you not mention the labour ministers guilty of the exact same thing ayb?
hypocrites. the whole attack on here the last few days has just gone up in a puff of pathetic smoke with the finding that labour did the exact same thing.
why dont you post up the tv one news too showing Goff being mowed down?
I hate to disappoint you vto but that sort of thing was frowned on by Labour. That’s why Marion Hobbs lost her ministerial warrant and paid back $18,500 even though she was cleared by the auditor general over a similar situation.
You can say a lot about Labour’s failings, and I do, but on this count they were a lot cleaner than the current government.
VTO, I think the reason Mr Garner didn’t mention the Labour Party’s history of doing the same thing as National Ministers is that all of the examples were directly fed to him by the Labour Party. That is my interpretation of Audrey Young saying that Labour MPs were shopping the stories around the press gallery.
Labour seem to be quite cowardly on this. They don’t front on any of the stories because they are hypocritical in the same respect, but then use details of National Ministers who are doing exactly as they did.
Who was it who said that Mr Key’s office was all about spin and image?
I didn’t hear Mr Garner mention it Eddie. I stand corrected if he did. Guyon Espiner certainly mentioned it, and he pointed out that Mr Goff currently gets rental on a house he owns in Wellington while he collects a taxpayer subsidy to live in a rented property.
This explains Labour’s uncanny public silence on this matter.
Mr Goff said the reason why he didn’t move into his own apartment is that he is planning to sell it and it is currently tenanted. Interestingly Mr Goff appears to have owned this property since 2007 at least. Either it is a very slow property market in Wellington, the tenant has a very, very long lease on the property, or Mr Goff is telling fibs.
Anyway, the cirticism has been that English and others have been based in Wellington, yet are claiming out of town allowance. That doesn’t apply to Goff.
National is the Govt. I’t’s you guys who make the rules and whose fat butts occupy Ministerial seats. Grow up and take it on the chin.
Fascinating how the right wing, who so readily harp on about personal responsibility, so rapidily change the subject when it’s time for them to actually accept some.
I have never once defended these rorts and if you read carefully you will note most others have called the same.
It is a mess and a rort. It needs cleaning up. But most importantly, given the shrill and empty calls on here the last few days that it is just the nats, both labour and the nats have been doing it.
You fullas have been claiming it is just the nats – and how wrong you have been. wrong wrong wrong.
I’m off to beddie-byes now. Enjoy shrivelling up in the moonlight tonight you silly lefties…
Are you thick redillogix? I was not defending anything, esp not the nats. I was attacking the likes of you for trying to claim that only the nats have worked this rort.
Guyon Espiner mentioned at the end of his report tonight that the Government has released to him the entitlements claimed by the Labour Party last year, and that they were very similar to the entitlements claimed by the National Party MP’s. Can’t wait to see them.
I wouldn’t be so sure. If history has taught us anything, its that neither National nor Labour are squeaky clean. Sounds like you don’t want anything bad to come out in the wash with that attitude…what with Phil Goff renting his place out and claiming an accomodation allowance as well hahaha
Given today’s verdicts in the court, remember all those probing questions by Lockwood regarding a sitting MP and his dodgy dealings. I can see his smug face now as he hinted at things during those “Question Times”.
I guess it would be too much for the same Lockwood to pursue some of the current MP’s dealings with the same vigour. Some of these things might be legal, but certainly outside the spirit of the law.
What you wingnuts seem to forget is John was going to set new standards, way higher than Helen set, but he hasn’t. What all this shows is the Nats are as bad if not worse than Labour.
Spin it all you like but Bill is not entitled to the living out of town allowance as he lives in Wellington. When Hobbs and co were caught out, they were fired!
While others are claiming every thing they are able to, which is probably not a good look it is not the same as what Bill is doing. Bill needs the wider enquiry to cover his particular behavior and take the heat off him.
The deputy prime minster is up to his arm pits in this and John is trying to shut it down with a broader brush inquiry.
So wingnuts if you want to play but you did it to Labour, you need to find a labour MP who was claiming the living away from home allowance while living in permanent residence in Wellington. That is they own a house all his kids and wife live in it, the wife works in Wellington and has done so for years, the kids go to Wellington Schools and has done so for years and the MP visits their electorate occasionally instead of returning to it every weekend. Go for it wingnuts nock your selfs out.
What part of failing to sack a Minister caught in a rort, an offense that the previous PM sacked sacked two Ministers for … is in any sense a ‘higher standard’?
Dickhead – he’s already set and achieved higher standards than the Labour administration.
Could you ever have imagined this debate occurring under Labour – of course bloody not, not the Ministry of Truth – duck and run, hide the evidence, blame the opposition, blame a police commissioner, do anything to hide the facts…
What’s Key doing? Setting up an inquiry.
What did Helen do? Locked down Noel Ingram’s scope of inquiry to hide the shameful truth about corruption in the highest ranks of her party.
Must be about time John Key popped off back to Crosby Textor HQ for his next set of instructions . . . what’s that you say? . . . he’s already over there . . . and left Sir Double Dipton to face the music on his own . . . really? . . . my, that is good timing . . .
What a farce. The Nats cut funding for adult education and education support for mums on the dpb (to name just a couple cuts) because of a need to tighten the govt’s belt, but are more than happy to stretch the belt to its furtherest possible extent to pad their own wallets. I’m sure that Labour probably took advantage of the rules when they were in power, but they weren’t hypocrites about it. The vast majority of Kiwis don’t earn anything near what Heatley alone is getting just from these rent subsidies (let alone his massive salary). Shows how out of touch the Nats are with real Kiwis.
Labour Ministers received exactly the same entitlements and similar salary rates, and as has been shown today, Phil Goff has been renting out his own flat whilst getting Parliamentary Services to cover his accommodation, short sighted much?
If anything, it shows how much of a gravy train Parliament has been for far too long. Career politicians have been doing this for decades and it wasn’t until the UK expenses scandal that anyone has thought to ask any questions about entitlements. I really am disappointed Labour hasn’t offered the numbers for when they were in power, it seems overly hypocritical for them to be criticising a lifestyle of double dipping when they have had the same lifestyle for the last 9 years.
I’d be very disappointed if anyone else is doing what Bill English has been caught doing – living in Wellington and claiming to live somewhere else so he can claim the out-of-town allowance.
Like Phil Goff? Man, you must be very very disappointed now!
Bill English has been the MP for Clutha/Southland for nearly 14 years now, and moved his family into their home in Wellington to save moving his family around constantly in rented accommodation. He never claimed he lived elsewhere, he always claimed he lived in the Wellington address afaik.
It seems after months National being undentable, they are taking a big hit on this one.
I just read the rabid “Herald views” and people ain’t happy
Sure Lab did it too but that line just isn’t going to fly
Lets hope we can keep the heat on.
good idea oob. The faux outrage from Labour supporters goading this up with the approval of the Labour caucus (who conveniently remain silent) have only landed Mr Goff into hot water, since he appears to have been telling a big fib that he is planning to sell his Wellington apartment. Inconvenient for him that it appears on the register of pecuniary interest for three years, that he collected rent for it while living in a ministerial house. Suddenly the reason he can’t move into it now is that he’s selling it or another tenant is already living in it. Not very credible.
How difficult could it be to keep the heat on? Every time the Nats demand fiscal responsibility or cutting back expenditure the response can be laughter and contempt, until the cancer of this rort is removed.
They need to get their investigation into allowances tied up quick-smart. Given their terrible record to date on quick, and smart, there is heaps of mileage to be got out of this one.
Mike is on to it. The whole MP expenses story has got legs, and only John Key will come up smelling like roses. The way the punter on the street will see it is something like “MP’s have been ripping us off for years, but Key went in there and sorted it out”.
I love the cutesy line “to keep my little family together” makes it sound like they are in the workhouse or orphans, this would be laughable if it wasn’t the peasants paying for it.
Is his family less worthy than a “Labour family”? You guys need to take a step back and gain some perspective on things as this is turning into the same bunker mentality denial fest that lost HEC the election.
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Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
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Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
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Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
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Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
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Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
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Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
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Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
Ahead of the reality franchise’s return to New Zealand, allow us to introduce the eight brides and grooms. Chuck on a veil and tie back your man bun, because it’s time to say “I do” to a new season of Married at First Sight NZ. The reality TV “social experiment” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University Every year on June 1, student debt in Australia is indexed to inflation. In 2023, high inflation pushed the indexation rate to 7.1%, the highest since 1990. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
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Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
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Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
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Ouch. Those numbers are a nice topup to their salaries
Tell me I’m wrong – did I hear Crusher Collins say she wasn’t going to name the tenant in her flat because she wanted to protect the individual’s privacy? F F S !!!
Privacy for some
She must have learned from Basher Bennett’s mistake.
why do you not mention the labour ministers guilty of the exact same thing ayb?
hypocrites. the whole attack on here the last few days has just gone up in a puff of pathetic smoke with the finding that labour did the exact same thing.
why dont you post up the tv one news too showing Goff being mowed down?
or will you just ignore that?
I hate to disappoint you vto but that sort of thing was frowned on by Labour. That’s why Marion Hobbs lost her ministerial warrant and paid back $18,500 even though she was cleared by the auditor general over a similar situation.
You can say a lot about Labour’s failings, and I do, but on this count they were a lot cleaner than the current government.
VTO, I think the reason Mr Garner didn’t mention the Labour Party’s history of doing the same thing as National Ministers is that all of the examples were directly fed to him by the Labour Party. That is my interpretation of Audrey Young saying that Labour MPs were shopping the stories around the press gallery.
Labour seem to be quite cowardly on this. They don’t front on any of the stories because they are hypocritical in the same respect, but then use details of National Ministers who are doing exactly as they did.
Who was it who said that Mr Key’s office was all about spin and image?
Garner did mention it.
Guess you either didn’t watch the clip or couldn’t pay attention for 3 minutes.
Man. Don’t you get embarrassed by just getting simple stuff like that wrong every day?
I didn’t hear Mr Garner mention it Eddie. I stand corrected if he did. Guyon Espiner certainly mentioned it, and he pointed out that Mr Goff currently gets rental on a house he owns in Wellington while he collects a taxpayer subsidy to live in a rented property.
This explains Labour’s uncanny public silence on this matter.
Mr Goff said the reason why he didn’t move into his own apartment is that he is planning to sell it and it is currently tenanted. Interestingly Mr Goff appears to have owned this property since 2007 at least. Either it is a very slow property market in Wellington, the tenant has a very, very long lease on the property, or Mr Goff is telling fibs.
so you’re back to it’s ok if Labour does it too?
Anyway, the cirticism has been that English and others have been based in Wellington, yet are claiming out of town allowance. That doesn’t apply to Goff.
National is the Govt. I’t’s you guys who make the rules and whose fat butts occupy Ministerial seats. Grow up and take it on the chin.
Fascinating how the right wing, who so readily harp on about personal responsibility, so rapidily change the subject when it’s time for them to actually accept some.
wrong red.
I have never once defended these rorts and if you read carefully you will note most others have called the same.
It is a mess and a rort. It needs cleaning up. But most importantly, given the shrill and empty calls on here the last few days that it is just the nats, both labour and the nats have been doing it.
You fullas have been claiming it is just the nats – and how wrong you have been. wrong wrong wrong.
I’m off to beddie-byes now. Enjoy shrivelling up in the moonlight tonight you silly lefties…
Spot the cognitive dissonance:
the whole attack on here the last few days has just gone up in a puff of pathetic smoke with the finding that labour did the exact same thing.
then
I have never once defended these rorts and if you read carefully you will note most others have called the same.
Grow up, adults accept responsibility for their mistakes; only children try the ‘he done it too’ defense. Have some pride man.
Are you thick redillogix? I was not defending anything, esp not the nats. I was attacking the likes of you for trying to claim that only the nats have worked this rort.
vto
3News covers the story of National Ministers double-dipping at the taxpayers’ expense.
Maybe you should call 3 news or Garner with your complaint.
@vto: I don’t watch TV1 any more – too much weather.
Guyon Espiner mentioned at the end of his report tonight that the Government has released to him the entitlements claimed by the Labour Party last year, and that they were very similar to the entitlements claimed by the National Party MP’s. Can’t wait to see them.
You’ll be disappointed.
I wouldn’t be so sure. If history has taught us anything, its that neither National nor Labour are squeaky clean. Sounds like you don’t want anything bad to come out in the wash with that attitude…what with Phil Goff renting his place out and claiming an accomodation allowance as well hahaha
Those entitlements are now on Stuff. Labour spent more in overall expenses during the same period last year but not by much.
Given today’s verdicts in the court, remember all those probing questions by Lockwood regarding a sitting MP and his dodgy dealings. I can see his smug face now as he hinted at things during those “Question Times”.
I guess it would be too much for the same Lockwood to pursue some of the current MP’s dealings with the same vigour. Some of these things might be legal, but certainly outside the spirit of the law.
What you wingnuts seem to forget is John was going to set new standards, way higher than Helen set, but he hasn’t. What all this shows is the Nats are as bad if not worse than Labour.
Spin it all you like but Bill is not entitled to the living out of town allowance as he lives in Wellington. When Hobbs and co were caught out, they were fired!
While others are claiming every thing they are able to, which is probably not a good look it is not the same as what Bill is doing. Bill needs the wider enquiry to cover his particular behavior and take the heat off him.
The deputy prime minster is up to his arm pits in this and John is trying to shut it down with a broader brush inquiry.
So wingnuts if you want to play but you did it to Labour, you need to find a labour MP who was claiming the living away from home allowance while living in permanent residence in Wellington. That is they own a house all his kids and wife live in it, the wife works in Wellington and has done so for years, the kids go to Wellington Schools and has done so for years and the MP visits their electorate occasionally instead of returning to it every weekend. Go for it wingnuts nock your selfs out.
“What you wingnuts seem to forget is John was going to set new standards, way higher than Helen set”
He will – watch him act after the review to end the rort that labour have been happily endulging themselves in for the previuos 9 years.
But what would you expect from a party whose leader said ” Taito was only guilty of trying help people” do you want 26 reasons why she was lying?
What part of failing to sack a Minister caught in a rort, an offense that the previous PM sacked sacked two Ministers for … is in any sense a ‘higher standard’?
Really.
You cannot possibly spin your way out of that.
Like I said Mike name a labour MP/ Minister that is claiming the living away from home allowance when their family home is Wellington.
Put up or shut up Mike. Name one and remember Hobbs got fired!
Dickhead – he’s already set and achieved higher standards than the Labour administration.
Could you ever have imagined this debate occurring under Labour – of course bloody not, not the Ministry of Truth – duck and run, hide the evidence, blame the opposition, blame a police commissioner, do anything to hide the facts…
What’s Key doing? Setting up an inquiry.
What did Helen do? Locked down Noel Ingram’s scope of inquiry to hide the shameful truth about corruption in the highest ranks of her party.
The closest to Taito would be Worth’s trip to India, (It’s not the same game, but same shaped playing field). Key did nada there.
The closest Ministers doing what English is doing…?
It is so completely different I am staggered you try to even make a tenuous link.
But I guess its any port in a storm aye chaps.
Erm, No, completely different, no comparison, its very embarrassing (for you) to have even tried to make the association.
Too tired to blog anything on g.blog tonight (‘flu and long day) but a hat tip for anyone looking for a good blog title on this topic:
Must be about time John Key popped off back to Crosby Textor HQ for his next set of instructions . . . what’s that you say? . . . he’s already over there . . . and left Sir Double Dipton to face the music on his own . . . really? . . . my, that is good timing . . .
What a farce. The Nats cut funding for adult education and education support for mums on the dpb (to name just a couple cuts) because of a need to tighten the govt’s belt, but are more than happy to stretch the belt to its furtherest possible extent to pad their own wallets. I’m sure that Labour probably took advantage of the rules when they were in power, but they weren’t hypocrites about it. The vast majority of Kiwis don’t earn anything near what Heatley alone is getting just from these rent subsidies (let alone his massive salary). Shows how out of touch the Nats are with real Kiwis.
Labour Ministers received exactly the same entitlements and similar salary rates, and as has been shown today, Phil Goff has been renting out his own flat whilst getting Parliamentary Services to cover his accommodation, short sighted much?
If anything, it shows how much of a gravy train Parliament has been for far too long. Career politicians have been doing this for decades and it wasn’t until the UK expenses scandal that anyone has thought to ask any questions about entitlements. I really am disappointed Labour hasn’t offered the numbers for when they were in power, it seems overly hypocritical for them to be criticising a lifestyle of double dipping when they have had the same lifestyle for the last 9 years.
I’d be very disappointed if anyone else is doing what Bill English has been caught doing – living in Wellington and claiming to live somewhere else so he can claim the out-of-town allowance.
Very disappointed.
Like Phil Goff? Man, you must be very very disappointed now!
Bill English has been the MP for Clutha/Southland for nearly 14 years now, and moved his family into their home in Wellington to save moving his family around constantly in rented accommodation. He never claimed he lived elsewhere, he always claimed he lived in the Wellington address afaik.
Really “he has always claimed he lived in Wellington'” so why is he claiming the living away from home allowance for ?
I would assume because technically he is an MP outside of Wellington, and thus entitled to the allowance.
Jared, the allowance is meant to be for ministers who don’t live in Wellington.
Not sure how you missed that, it’s the guts of the whole story.
It seems after months National being undentable, they are taking a big hit on this one.
I just read the rabid “Herald views” and people ain’t happy
Sure Lab did it too but that line just isn’t going to fly
Lets hope we can keep the heat on.
good idea oob. The faux outrage from Labour supporters goading this up with the approval of the Labour caucus (who conveniently remain silent) have only landed Mr Goff into hot water, since he appears to have been telling a big fib that he is planning to sell his Wellington apartment. Inconvenient for him that it appears on the register of pecuniary interest for three years, that he collected rent for it while living in a ministerial house. Suddenly the reason he can’t move into it now is that he’s selling it or another tenant is already living in it. Not very credible.
How difficult could it be to keep the heat on? Every time the Nats demand fiscal responsibility or cutting back expenditure the response can be laughter and contempt, until the cancer of this rort is removed.
They need to get their investigation into allowances tied up quick-smart. Given their terrible record to date on quick, and smart, there is heaps of mileage to be got out of this one.
Don’t get too excited for it will be John Key who comes out this with all the credit after changing the rules post the review.
Headline – “JK ends mps rorts” followed up with the tally of the last 9 years of labours rorting = $XXXXXX’OOOOO
Want to bet against me?
I think you are imagining things. For one it would require JK to actually do something. A headline like “JK goes on holiday” seems much more likely.
you are a dreamer Mike.
Then bet against him.
Mike is on to it. The whole MP expenses story has got legs, and only John Key will come up smelling like roses. The way the punter on the street will see it is something like “MP’s have been ripping us off for years, but Key went in there and sorted it out”.
I think you will find that the public can spot hypocrisy a mile off .
Treasury knows where the soft underbelly of governement waste is and their own Minister is the King of this Pork barrell.
Thus he is the ultimate bennetficiary
I love the cutesy line “to keep my little family together” makes it sound like they are in the workhouse or orphans, this would be laughable if it wasn’t the peasants paying for it.
Made me gag too.
Is his family less worthy than a “Labour family”? You guys need to take a step back and gain some perspective on things as this is turning into the same bunker mentality denial fest that lost HEC the election.
Last I looked those earning over $60,000 paid 55% of the Income Tax taken, whereas the bottom 15% pay less than 1% of the tax. Funny that.
Is that something you often blurt out at inappropriate moments?
I imagine that could be quite an embarrassing disability.
What line of work are you in Felix?