Audrey Young: MPs' allowances approach avoids woes facing Britons

While British MPs are squirming over revelations about how some of their number have gamed their parliamentary allowances, there is no sign of similar worry by MPs on this side of the globe.

Our allowances system is different from Britain,'s too. New Zealand MPs get a lump sum fortnightly for incidental expenses without having to claim for it.

Each MP receives $14,800 a year in allowances, which is part-paid alongside the parliamentary salary ($131,000 basic) and both are determined by the Remuneration Authority.

The cover-all approach avoids the British situation where MPs have made claims for items such as horse manure, dog food, tampons and light bulbs.

Why many British MPs have been pilloried is in the claims they have made for accommodation.

They are entitled to the running costs of a "second home" - the one in which they spend the least amount of time - up to a maximum of £24,222 ($60,500).

To maximise their allowance, many have nominated their family home in their constituency to be their "second home", so taxpayers have subsidised the bigger of the two residences. That has been within the rules.

New Zealand had its own accommodation allowance probe eight years ago.

Ministers Phillida Bunkle and Marian Hobbs were receiving allowances that out-of-town MPs got for staying in Wellington, when they were both enrolled as voters in the Wellington Central electorate, which they had contested in 1999.

Both were cleared by the Auditor-General as being within the rules and following officials' advice but it marred their careers and Ms Bunkle was not reinstated as a minister. If their unhappy experience is not part of the formal induction process of new MPs, it is no doubt part of the informal education imparted by party whips.

New Zealand MPs are entitled to another allowance of up to $24,000 (including GST) for accommodation costs while on parliamentary business in Wellington - though that does not apply to Wellington MPs.

The maximum amount claimable for a night is $160 unless the MP is staying privately. Then they can claim $50.

The taxpayer can fund the interest payments on an MP's Wellington mortgage but not the principal.

The biggest safeguard for New Zealand MPs is that they have exempted themselves from the Official Information Act and their spending is secret.

Ministers are subject to spending scrutiny but not MPs conducting themselves as MPs.

Prime Minister John Key passed the buck yesterday, saying it was a matter for the Speaker, Lockwood Smith, and Labour leader Phil Goff did not respond to a request for comment.

The Green Party supports greater transparency of parliamentary spending but no party is pushing for changes to the legislation concerning this issue.