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Rodney Hide - Source: ONE News -
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Labour claims Rodney Hide may have breached Cabinet rules by charging people to attend one of his speeches.
The Local Government Minister has invited regional councillors and the public to attend the breakfast in Christchurch on November 4 to hear him speak on the future of the local government sector, at a cost of $45.
Hide is now being accused of using his position to fundraise for his Act party, critics saying ministers should not be paid extra for doing their public duty.
Labour Leader Phil Goff says the practice is wrong.
"I think it's utterly unacceptable that any Minister should charge people to hear him speak about his area of responsibility," he says.
Goff says he never would have dreamed, as a Minister, to charge people to hear him talking about an area he was responsible for.
"I've never heard of any Minister charging to have him or her speak on the area they've been given responsibility for."
But Hide says he is doing nothing wrong as he is not charging as a Minister.
He says he is attending the event in his capacity as Act Party leader and will be talking about what his party is up to.
Hide says it was "up to them" if people chose to attend the function.
"Anyone can come along and hear me speak any time they like, but I also speak as party leader so I've also got a responsibility as party leader."
Prime Minister John Key says there is no problem, depending on what Hide will talk about.
"If it's a genuine part of explaining your portfolio and communicating with audiences well, obviously, Ministers don't charge for that."
Key has been paid for giving speeches in "very rare circumstances" but says he always donated the money to charity.
