Now Carter enjoys 'partner perk'

Agriculture Minister David Carter. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Another senior politician has used his MP's travel perk to sidestep a prime ministerial order that globe-trotting ministers leave their partners behind or pay for the trip themselves.

Agriculture Minister David Carter used the perk - which provides 90 per cent subsidised travel for partners - to take wife Heather to London and Brussels at a cost to the taxpayer of $11,717.

Like Act leader Rodney Hide - who took his partner Louise Crome on a $25,000 overseas tour - Mr Carter circumvented Prime Minister John Key's June directive by keeping his wife's flights off his ministerial tab.

Despite the cost to the public, Mr Key has deemed use of the travel perk for partners to be okay, as it meets the definition of paying for the trip themselves.

A spokeswoman said Mr Carter's own flights and accommodation for the trip cost $39,000 - meaning a total cost to the taxpayer of up to $50,717 for the trip.

The Prime Minister was told Mrs Carter would accompany her husband on the trip, and it was approved.

The spokeswoman said the $11,717 included some domestic travel for Mrs Carter and their school-aged children.

Mr Carter spent a total of $63,426 on international travel in the three months from July to September, with the balance of $24,426 an advance payment for a trip to South America he took without his wife.

And as of last night, two other Government ministers - Peter Dunne and Maurice Williamson - were refusing to respond to Weekend Herald queries about their travel bills over winter.

Mr Dunne - Revenue Minister and United Future leader - spent $40,309 on international ministerial travel and $15,544 on his MP's perk, for a total of $55,853.

Mr Williams, the Minister of Building and Construction, spent $13,414 on international travel and $10,984 on his perk - a total of $24,398.

Another senior MP - Housing Minister Phil Heatley - spent only $813 on his own international ministerial travel, but racked up $11,302 on his MP's perk.

A spokesman said Mr Heatley made the ministerial trip alone, and most of the other money was spent getting his family between Wellington and his Whangarei electorate.

Mr Heatley and his wife Jenny also took a holiday to the Cook Islands on the travel perk, which cost the taxpayer $1848.

Mr Heatley is entitled to a 75 per cent travel discount.

National MP Shane Ardern spent $17,676, which he said included taking his wife on a trip to the United Kingdom that included a private visit to see family members.

Across the House, Labour MP Ross Robertson spent $25,742 on flights that included a work-related trip to Sweden that his wife accompanied him on.

Backbencher George Hawkins spent $20,690, but did not respond to the Weekend Herald yesterday.

DAVID CARTER'S BIG TRIP
* His flights and accommodation: $39,000
* Mrs Carter's flights: $11,717*
* Total cost: $50,717

* includes some domestic flights