Labour pair's 186 'please explains'

Mita Ririnui. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

Former Labour ministers Mita Ririnui and Parekura Horomia were sent 186 reminders and requests between them over their credit card spending, a Weekend Herald investigation has found.

Official figures made public this month show Mr Horomia, MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti, was the most lax of all MPs. Between 2003 and 2008, officials had to send him 94 requests for receipts or reminders of the spending rules.

Close behind, list MP Mr Ririnui received 88 requests between 2004 and 2008, and four letters requesting more details of spending.

But other MPs were also keeping the bureaucrats busy.

Former Labour Tourism Minister Damien O'Connor received 54 requests for receipts or spending reminders between 2003 and 2008, and his cabinet colleague Chris Carter received 52 reminders for receipts.

Meanwhile, Progressive MP Jim Anderton this week repaid more than $700 in personal expenses put on ministerial credit cards during a trip to Rome and Malaysia in 2008.

Mr Anderton said he was "deeply upset" the money had not been repaid immediately after the eight-day trip.

He had written a cheque for the outstanding amount after the trip.

"Inexplicably, the cheque was mislaid."

The Weekend Herald has compiled a table of several National and Labour ministers' spending, including personal spending repaid, purchases of note, and what has been repaid since the records were released.

Notable purchases include Mr Ririnui's macadamia nuts from the minibar and a trip to the local BP station to buy chewing gum, a Powerade and coffee - all while on ministerial business and not repaid.

Mr Ririnui is adamant that - unlike colleague Shane Jones - he did not watch a pornographic movie while staying at the Crowne Plaza in Auckland in 2004, even though the movie he watched cost $19.95.

A staffer at the hotel said in-room adult movies cost $19.90 and others cost $14.90, but she did not know what the prices were in 2004.