Labour slams Govt over commissioner's commute

Children's Commissioner John Angus. File photo / Dean Purcell

Labour has criticised the Government for continuing to foot the bill for Children's Commissioner John Angus to commute between his Central Otago home and Wellington, though he earns $180,000 and has been in the job for more than a year.

The Dominion-Post newspaper today reported details of expense disclosures and documents it obtained.

When Social Development Minister Paula Bennett appointed Mr Angus she agreed to pay for his flights and accommodation to Wellington.

When Mr Angus took on the job on a temporary basis in June 2009 it was agreed his travel would be paid for. A permanent replacement has not yet been found. After the first six months he paid his own accommodation.

In the second half of last year Mr Angus spent $4583.31 commuting to and from his Lowburn home - 65km from Queenstown - including flights to Queenstown and Wanaka, and taxis from Wellington Airport.

He travelled home three times in July, twice in September and once in each of November and December.

Labour Party Leader Phil Goff said taxpayers should not have to foot the bill and there were many people qualified to be children's commissioner.

"Normally if someone decides they want to live out of the place where they normally work they meet that cost."

Other revelations in documents included:

* State Services Commission head Iain Rennie, who has called for state sector spending restraint, spent $1034 on farewell lunches over three months.

* Northland and Auckland District Health Board chief executives Karen Roach and Garry Smith, spent $18,996 and $13,574 respectively on travel between Auckland and Wellington in the six months to December 31, 2010. In the same period, Ms Roach charged $45 in teleconferencing costs. Health Minister Tony Ryall accepted the travel was necessary.

* Walking Access Commission boss Mark Neeson spent just over $11,000 visiting Canada, Scotland and England on a fact-finding mission. He justified the trip saying the trip provided useful information.

* Te Puni Kokiri head Leith Comer spent $9127 travelling to Shanghai to attend the World Expo and a further $1171 for a farewell for a long-serving staff member.

* Agriculture Ministry chief executive Murray Sherwin charged $688 for flights and $32 for parking to attend the funeral of a senior manager's father in Gisborne.

- NZPA