There's fresh outrage over MPs' travel expenses with the man
known as the "perk buster", Rodney Hide, under scrutiny for taking
his girlfriend on a $50,000 taxpayer-funded trip.
And it seems other ministers and MPs are also indulging in the same
perk.
MPs often travel for work but taking their spouses with them on
the taxpayer is upsetting some people.
"They shouldn't be doing that. If they do that, they should lose their jobs," says one man.
Hide has attracted attention after taking his girlfriend, top squash player Louise Crome, on a 10-day international trip.
The couple travelled business class to London, Toronto in Canada, Portland in the US, Los Angeles and then home. The minister was on a fact finding mission for Auckland's super city.
The Local Government Minister says he's only doing his job.
"It's certainly not an entitlement. It's me doing my best job and my utmost as a minister and an MP and not being a martyr to the cause because it's important you maintain your personal life, not just for yourself but so you can be a good MP and minister," he says.
Hide says the Prime Minister's office cleared Crome's trip, saying it met the criteria.
Hide says he is aware it is taxpayer money and the public can judge whether they get value for money from him.
He told Mike Hosking on Close Up that while he doesn't agree with the parliamentary perk system he is not prepared to make a martyr of himself by refusing to take his partner with him on trips.
Hide says the Act and Green parties have pushed for MPs' expenses to be made public and he has to justify his expenses every day.
He says he is a much better Cabinet minister and MP when his personal life is going smoothly.
"It's important to me that I maintain my personal life," says Hide who believes he is giving the taxpayers of New Zealand good value for money.
"I have to work within the system," he says, adding that being an MP is a very demanding position involving long hours of work and being away from home a lot.
He's not the only MP or minister indulging in the perk. Agriculture Minister David Carter spent almost $12,000 taking his wife overseas and on other domestic family travel. Housing Minister Phil Heatley spent a similar amount in the past three months, including almost $1,000 for his wife to holiday with him in the Cook Islands.
Nick Smith spent $13,000, but only for travel within New Zealand, while Labour's Ross Robertson took his wife with him to Sweden.
Hide is perhaps facing the most intense scrutiny because of his reputation as a perk buster and he has previously railed against a travel fund for ex-MPs. In 1997 he said the former MPs' travel perk can't be justified.
"It's scandalous and should be stopped immediately," he said at the time.
As a sitting MP, Hide and others certainly aren't breaking any rules, but some feel that's exactly why the rules should be changed.
What do you think of Hide taking his girlfriend on taxpayer funded trip, especially after he previously railed against a travel fund for ex-MPs? Comment below...
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