Media scrutiny forces Carter to cancel holiday on public purse

Media attention dissuaded MP Chris Carter from using his travel perks. Photo / Richard Robinson

Independent MP Chris Carter was going to use his international travel perk for an overseas holiday but cancelled it after media found out, it was reported last night.

Mr Carter booked flights for himself and partner Peter Kaiser business class to Sri Lanka just before Speaker Lockwood Smith last month stopped MPs from using the taxpayer subsidy for holidays, 3News reported last night.

The trip was estimated to cost $13,900 - with 90 per cent paid for from the public purse.

The report said Mr Carter sent a text message to 3News an hour after it questioned Mr Kaiser about their summer holiday plans saying the trip had been cancelled.

Mr Carter refused to appear on the bulletin and was not answering calls last night.

It was his excessive spending while he was a minister in the previous Labour Government which led to a row with party leader Phil Goff, and Mr Carter retaliated by trying to bring Mr Goff down.

That led to him being expelled from the caucus and the party.

Mr Carter is quitting politics at next year's election. As a former MP he will be able to use the international travel rebate for the rest of his life, without media scrutiny.

Although sitting MPs were stopped from using it for holidays, the entitlement for former MPs was not touched.

They enjoy rebates of up to 90 per cent, depending on how long they were in Parliament. In Mr Carter's case, it will be a 75 per cent rebate.

Sitting MPs still have an international travel allowance but they can only use it for trips related to parliamentary business.

Mr Carter was first elected to the Te Atatu seat for Labour in 1993.

His majority in the 2008 general election was 5298 votes but he hasbeen booted out of the Labour Partyas a result of his clash with MrGoff.

He had threatened to stand in Te Atatu as an independent at next year's general election unless Labour chose Phil Twyford as its candidate.

- NZPA