National's gains boost its coffers

National is looking forward to a big boost in funding as it reaps the rewards of increasing from 27 MPs to 49.

The Parliamentary Service is awaiting the final election result on October 1 before settling on what resources each party leader's office will get to employ non-secretarial staff such as press secretaries, advisers and researchers.

Based on the formula used by the service, National's funding will rise from $2.13 million to $3.83 million per year.

It now has about 20 research, media and advisory staff but their ranks are set to increase substantially.

The party has considered itself under-resourced as the biggest Opposition party following the poor 2002 election result.

For example, it has four media staff compared with nearly 30 Government press secretaries.

National leader Don Brash's salary will remain at $202,800 - assuming he continues as leader of the Opposition.

Funding for the leader's office is calculated as a base of $50,000 per year, plus $57,176 per non-ministerial MP, plus $20,000 per MP whether they are a minister or not for the research unit and whip's office staff.

The winner among the smaller parties is the Maori Party, which goes from $127,000 to $358,000 as a result of gaining three MPs.

But the other minor parties will suffer.

NZ First, reduced from 13 to seven MPs, will get its leader's funding slashed from $1 million to $590,000.

Leader Winston Peters' pay will drop from $139,195 to $132,985, excluding the expense allowance.

Act, cut from nine to two MPs, will go from $744,000 to $204,000 and leader Rodney Hide's salary gets cut from $135,055 to $125,750.

United Future, which lost five MPs and returns with three, would go from $667,000 to $281,000. Leader Peter Dunne's salary will be cut from $134,020 to $127,300.

The Greens stand to lose about $230,000 in leaders' funding, although this figure assumes no cabinet posting for any of their MPs.

The party lost three seats to return with six on election night, but Nandor Tanczos could return when special votes are counted.

Co-leaders Rod Donald and Jeanette Ftizsimons each get a salary equal to half the combined total of the leader's and whip's salaries - $132,995 each before the election. Their pay packets will fall to $130,662 if Mr Tanczos does not return.

WINNERS & LOSERS

National (27 to 49 MPs)
Last term: $2.13 million
New funding: $3.83 million

NZ First (13 to 7 MPs)
Last term: $1.05 million
New funding: $590,000

Greens (9 to 6 MPs)
Last term: $744,000
New funding: $513,000

Act (9 to 2 MPs)
Last term: $744,000
New funding: $204,000

United Future (8 to 3 MPs)
Last term: $667,000
New funding: $281,000

Maori Party (1 to 4 MPs)
Last term: $127,000
Likely new funding: $358,000

Notes: Annual rounded figures. Excludes secretarial support. Assumes Labour forms Govt, no other party has a minister in Cabinet, and election night result stands.