Mallard outs himself over UK 'work trip'

Trevor Mallard believes going to the rugby at Twickenham is 'fair enough'. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Labour MP Trevor Mallard has outed himself for using his taxpayer-funded travel perk to jet to London to watch the All Blacks play at Twickenham.

Mr Mallard left last night on the "work trip" to see contacts related to his education portfolio, which he openly admitted had been deliberately timed to to coincide with the test match.

"This is not a holiday," he said.

He said he believed going to the rugby was "fair enough".

"I'm not pretending I haven't deliberately timed it, but it is a trip I would have done at some stage anyway."

Labour leader Phil Goff would not comment on Mr Mallard's trip last night, despite yesterday castigating Maori Party MP Hone Harawira for having "skived off" to Paris when he was meant to be on official duties in Brussels.

Mr Harawira had nothing to say when asked about Mr Mallard's trip.

"No comment," said Mr Harawira.

"If there's one thing I've learnt in the last couple of days it is to say 'no comment'."

A spokesman for Mr Goff said Mr Mallard informed him of the trip on Tuesday - a day after Mr Goff told media he had told his MPs to act with restraint in the current climate.

Mr Mallard publicised the trip yesterday on Red Alert, the Labour MP's blog.

As a long-serving MP, Mr Mallard is entitled to a 90 per cent discount for the flights to London.

His partner, former world champion rower Brenda Lawson, is not accompanying him so he will not be using the partner's perk, and he will stay with a friend while there.

Mr Mallard said he was not concerned about using the perk despite the economic climate in which most private individuals and companies were exercising restraint.

"You can't put good policy development on hold because you've got an economic problem."

Mr Mallard said he would be meeting with "a new generation of education thinkers", and finding out how policies have worked in the United Kingdom.

He said it was different to Rodney Hide's use of the MPs' travel perk, as "I'm not being a hypocrite".

Mr Mallard will be a guest of the Rugby Union at Twickenham.

He is also the Opposition spokesman for the Rugby World Cup, and said he might meet International Rugby Board representatives while at the game, although nothing had been arranged.

"I know that I'm going to be in the same place as them, so I can arrange it."

Mr Goff's spokesman had no concerns with Mr Mallard's trip as long as it met the definition of using the privilege sparingly and it provided the taxpayer with value for money.

Labour MP Ashraf Choudary is in his homeland of Pakistan, using the 50 per cent discount he is entitled to for his length of service. He is travelling alone and not using the partner's perk.

Prime Minister John Key yesterday said he was concerned the perks controversy was "undermining confidence in Parliament as an institution".

A number of National ministers have confirmed they used the partner's perk to take their spouses on overseas breaks.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp spent $3484 in the Cook Islands with his wife; Justice Minister Simon Power claimed $3991 of the $5475 cost of taking his wife to Perth; Education Minister Anne Tolley spent $4120 to go to an undisclosed location with her husband, and Health Minister Tony Ryall spent $2560 to go to Rarotonga with his wife.