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Auckland Issues Minister Judith Tizard has come under fire for racking up a domestic travel bill second only to the Prime Minister's - and her hands-off role in the stadium debate is also raising eyebrows.
Ms Tizard was revealed yesterday by the National Party as the second-highest ministerial spender on domestic air travel since 2000, with a total bill of $337,719.
Between last December and September this year the minister also rated in second place as a frequent flyer, with a bill of $35,719.
National MP Bill English argued in Parliament yesterday that the MP for Auckland Central's flying records suggested she spent too much time "everywhere except Auckland".
He also zeroed in on the types of engagements Ms Tizard was undertaking.
"How can she claim that she is extremely busy working for Auckland when, in the last six months, over half of her media appearances have been for arts functions, including attending the same Royal New Zealand Ballet performance of Trinity in two different cities?"
But Ms Tizard - who aside from being Auckland Issues Minister is also Consumer Affairs Minister and has associate roles in the transport, commerce, and arts, culture and heritage portfolios - said her travel bill simply reflected that she worked hard around the country.
"I'm not sure how the member for Clutha-Southland [Mr English], who lives in Wellington, expects an Auckland member to get home other than by flying," she said.
"I spend a lot of time visiting many communities around New Zealand."
She said her discussions included Auckland's importance to the country's economy. "It is fascinating that the Opposition's only concern is that I work hard across the whole of New Zealand."
It was Ms Tizard's role as Auckland Issues Minister in the current stadium debate that drew most scorn from her political opponents.
Yesterday she refused a morning interview about the stadium issue on Radio New Zealand, apparently telling the station she thought the debate in the media had been silly and she didn't want to be shouted at.
Mr English said if she was not prepared to front up on an Auckland issue of that magnitude, "what on Earth does she do all day?"
Ms Tizard said she felt the stadium debate so far had rather more heat than light. "Yes, I do not choose to be shouted at," she said. "I pick my fights."
She said Rugby World Cup Minister Trevor Mallard was leading that issue.
She had talked to several Aucklanders about the Cup but had been in Britain when the Government announced its preferred option.
Ms Tizard was later non-committal on her view of the waterfront plan.
She did not want to pre-empt the decision being made by the city's local government representatives. "I think that both of the major contenders seem to have benefits and problems.
"I think it probably is time New Zealand had a national stadium, and I think Auckland's the obvious place for that. But it's a huge amount of public money, and we will be paying for a long time."
On her silence in the stadium debate, Ms Tizard said she was happy to offer an opinion to Mr Mallard, but didn't think she had anything "startlingly different" to say just as an Auckland MP.
