-
Bill English - Source: NZPA / Ross Setford -
Watch Video
-
Related
Finance Minister Bill English says he will pay back $12,000 of the ministerial housing allowance he has claimed since the election.
English says as the Finance Minister he has to lead by example.
He had been claming around $1000 a week and will now claim the housing allowance that an ordinary MP is entitled to which is around $24,000 a year.
He says he's in a unique position living in his own home as a minister, when his electorate is in the deep south.
English says his decision is no acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
He says he wants to change the perception he's getting a bigger allowance than other Members of Parliament.
However earlier in the week, English said he believed there were more important issues to worry about.
"After four days of discussing this issue, there are bigger things going on in the country, like a recession," he said on Tuesday.
"This isn't about the money, this is about the support I get,
which I appreciate, which enables our family to be together."
The move is being welcomed by the Labour Party, with Labour's chief
whip Darren Hughes saying English can't be calling on people to
reign in their own spending, while you've created a separate
category for yourself.
The development follows an announcement by the Prime Minister on Wednesday on the scope of the shake-up surrounding the expenses saga .
Key ordered the review after concerns were made about double dipping on allowances after MPs' travel and accommodation costs were made public on June 30.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentcueboy said on 2010-10-30 @ 13:35 NZDT: Report abusive post
I am surprised this message board is not inundated with messages castigating The Speaker of the House Lockwood Smith, over his ruling on MPs expenditure. They have got to be accountable, its not thier money, it belongs to the Tax Payers of New Zealand. Secrecy is a path would should not go down.I hope all New Zealanders follow this one up, and not let it die the death, to let the sticky fingers loose on the purse strings of this Nation will become a finacial problem in months and years to come.
cueboy said on 2010-10-30 @ 10:54 NZDT: Report abusive post
Great to see the Pime minister agrees with Transparency over travel by MPS. Its a pity the speaker of the house dosent share his view.Then again to anyone who has time to watch Parliament during the day, gee what a fiasco.All the questions are loaded to enhance the initial question asked.Talk about lack of honesty.Talk about free money, some sit there all day looking to the gallery, mostly the older ones.Transparency is wanted.
kiwi666 said on 2010-10-30 @ 10:31 NZDT: Report abusive post
Come on NZ you sould know its one rule for them and another rule for us mp look after them selfs
Noddy samurai said on 2010-10-30 @ 07:26 NZDT: Report abusive post
Every mature adult has the responsibility to be held accountable for his/her actions it's part of growing up; Please MP Ministers grow up have responsibility and common sense ... Only a child has to hide some thing
ThousandDemons said on 2010-10-30 @ 04:09 NZDT: Report abusive post
HELLZ NO they shouldn't be able to keep how much they're spending away from the public eye if we have to foot the bill. ESPECIALLY if it's for their own personal joys, rather than for any work-related spending. EITHER way, we should know, because we're PAYING FOR IT!!! KICK THEM OUT!