Ministers' travel claims tumble after expenses made public

Taxpayer funded travel perks for Government ministers have tumbled quickly since being opened up to public scrutiny nine months ago, figures released yesterday show.

According to Parliamentary Service data, ministers claimed a total of $39,292 in air travel expenses in the first three months of this year compared with $50,931 in the December quarter, $134,054 in the September quarter and $122,348 during the six months to June last year.

Ministers use Parliamentary Service air travel expenses to fly their partners or children around the country with them. Their own travel expenses come under Ministerial Services.

The largest amount claimed was $6079 by Environment Minister Nick Smith. That's little changed from what he claimed three months earlier and was associated with flying his wife and four children between Nelson and Wellington, a spokesman said. It is also less than a quarter of the $25,163 Act MP and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide claimed during the September quarter last year to pay for his girlfriend to accompany him on an overseas tour.

Mr Hide subsequently repaid $22,000. During the first three months of this year Mr Hide claimed just $2261 in air travel expenses.

Excluding Cabinet ministers, the biggest claims for air travel came from Te Tai Tokerau Maori Party MP Hone Harawira at $20,377 and Nelson-based Labour list MP Maryan Street at $15,032. Mr Harawira had no comment but Ms Street told the Herald flights to and from the provinces, particularly Nelson, were "quite expensive" and her travel bill included a number of trips to attend Treaty of Waitangi settlements.

Speaker of the House Lockwood Smith and Labour Leader Phil Goff have previously indicated VIP Transport, which is available to them as well as ministers, makes up the bulk of their high travel bills.

At $73,142 Mr Goff again had the highest expense bill among MPs.

MPs' total expenses including travel and accommodation, which are paid through the Parliamentary Service, totalled $1.56 million against $1.89 million in the December quarter and $2.09 million in the three months to September.

Ministerial expenses totalled $1.67 million for the first three months of the year, well down on the $218 million and $2.01 million during the December and September quarters respectively.

BIG SPENDERS
Phil Goff, Labour Leader....$73,142

Hone Harawira, Maori Party....$40,869

Shane Jones, Labour....$26,857

Rahui Katene, Maori Party....$26,043

Maryan Street, Labour....$25,501

Chris Auchinvole, National....$25,034