MPs' and Ministers' expenses for the final three months of the year have been released, detailing the breakdown of the more than $2.3 million bill for taxpayers.
MP expenses are released every three months by the Parliamentary Service and the Office of the Clerk. It details the accommodation and travel expenses for all MPs - both of which are regular expenses required for MPs to fulfil their duties, allowing them to be present in Wellington to attend Parliament as well as their home and constituent communities.
The report does not include ministerial travel and accommodation, which is administered by Ministerial Services and is reported separately by that body and was also released today, also covering the period from October 1 to December 31 2023.
MP expenses came to almost $1.7m and Ministerial expenses came to more than $670,000.
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Costs tend to be higher for MPs who live in more far flung places, adding to travel costs, and more senior MPs, especially a prime minister, deputy prime minister, and speaker.
Some MPs also had higher totals than they might otherwise due to expenses from the previous quarter being reported in the latest quarter.
The National Party - which has the largest caucus in the Parliament - spent the most on expenses in the period, totalling almost $731,000.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was the biggest expense of the lot, at a cost of just more than $57,500 - but that included VIP transport of more than $39,000 - part of the requirements of being in the top job. The rest was made up of costs of almost $7500 for accommodation, air travel of $9500 and "surface" - ground travel, such as taxis of more than $1300.
The next highest expenses cost in National's caucus was Auckland-based Defence Minister Judith Collins, at a cost of more than $24,200, made up of more than $6000 for accommodation and just over $18,000 on travel, including more than $16,000 on surface travel.
Erica Stanford and Harete Hipango had higher totals than Collins but theirs included expenses brought forward from the previous quarter.
Labour, with the next biggest caucus, spent almost $462,000 in the quarter. Its biggest expense was Manurewa MP Arena Williams, who spent almost $23,000 on expenses, including $8380 on accommodation in Wellington, more than $10,000 on air travel and almost $4400 on surface travel.
The lowest spender was new Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds, who is based near Wellington. She spent $521, most of which was $403 on flights.
Three MPs had no expenses to declare: outgoing or already-gone MPs Andrew Little, Nanaia Mahuta and Grant Robertson.
Leader Chris Hipkins - who is based in Upper Hutt - declared $1129, all of which was on flights.
The Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Leader of the Opposition are eligible for VIP transport services.
The Greens spent almost $177,000 and the ACT caucus almost $155,000.
For the Greens, third assistant speaker Teanau Tuiono declared almost $25,000 of expenses, including more than $7000 for flights and almost $10,000 for accommodation.
For ACT, Mark Cameron, who is based in rural Northland, declared almost $21,000 in expenses, the highest of any ACT MP. That included almost $10,000 on accommodation and a similar amount on travel, split almost evenly between flights and ground travel.
New Zealand First's eight MPs spent almost $68,000, while Te Pāti Māori's six MPs spent more than $80,000.
NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle, from Marlborough, topped his party with more than $16,000 spent, while Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi - who lives in a remote part of his Waiariki electorate - spent $36,500, about $26,000 of which was on travel.
Independent MPs Meka Whaitiri and Elizabeth Kerekere declared almost $15,000 and more than $7200 respectively for the period.
According to Parliamentary Services, party whips monitor non-ministerial MP expenses, and if they notice a member is incurring excessive expenses, can ask MPs to limit further costs for the year.
All expenses reported exclude GST Fringe Benefit Tax, which applies to Parliamentary Service travel expenses.
The report does not include ministerial travel and accommodation, which is administered by Ministerial Services and is reported separately by that body and was also released today.
Ministerial expenses for the new Government began from November 27, when ministerial warrants were issued, and ceased from that date for the previous government.
Ministers in the coalition Government spent $266,118 from that date.
Ministers in the previous Government - which included Labour and Green MPs - spent $405,522 from October 1 to November 27.
Costs included those for Ministers, spouses and staff.
Those figures were also exclusive of GST and Fringe Benefit Tax.
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Poll: Have you ever been bullied?
People associate bullying with children in schools, but it can actually stretch beyond childhood to workplaces or neighbourhoods.
This Friday is Pink Shirt Day, which began in Canada in 2007 when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying after a new student was harassed for wearing pink. People across the globe are now encouraged to wear pink on this day to take a stand against bullying and promote inclusivity.
Have you or your whānau ever experienced bullying? Share your thoughts on Pink Shirt Day below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
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79.8% Yes
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19.8% No
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0.4% Other - I'll share below
Record numbers are leaving NZ – who could blame them?
Migration figures show a record number of New Zealanders are choosing not to stick around – and you don’t have to look hard to figure out why, writes Q+A presenter Jack Tame.
No data point says more about the current state of our country than the fact that record numbers of New Zealanders don’t want to be here.
Over the last two years, the quarterly release of migration statistics has steadily plotted a massive exodus of New Zealand citizens.
Once all citizen returns and departures were accounted for in the year to March 31, provisional net numbers indicated New Zealand lost more than a thousand Kiwis every week.
But why?
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The pandemic restrictions are over and the borders have been open for New Zealanders for more than two years.
Pent-up demand for overseas adventure could explain the initial post-Covid surge in departures, and some New Zealanders who returned during the worst of Covid-19 have left again. But the more recent departures are better attributed to other factors.
As I’ve noted before, what’s perhaps most extraordinary about the huge outward migration of New Zealand citizens is it has coincided with near-record inbound migration of non-citizens.
Facing pressure from business groups amidst a global labour shortage, the previous government responded by massively relaxing immigration settings.
In the year to March 31, New Zealand recorded a net migration gain of 163,000 non-citizens.
Accounting for both the provisional citizen and non-citizen migration flows, there are 111,000 extra people in New Zealand than the year before. Add to that the births and deaths for the same period, and our overall population has increased by approximately 130,000 people in the last year.
During the same period, however, the number of consents issued for new houses dropped 25% on the previous 12 months.
As our population surges and construction slows, the average rent paid by the generation of New Zealanders most likely not to own their own homes has increased. TradeMe Property recorded a median rent increase of 8.3% in the year to March 2024 — more than double the corresponding annual increase in wages.
This renting generation, coincidentally, is the same generation most likely to have left New Zealand.
Of all migrant departures of New Zealand citizens, people between the ages of 18 and 30 made up almost 40%.
But even older New Zealanders — who are more likely to have established careers, families, and assets — are leaving in huge numbers. Accounting for all arrivals and departures, a net total of more than 7500 New Zealand citizens between the ages of 31-40 left our shores.
So, what will stem the bleed?
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In the short term, at least, there is perhaps little economic reason to stay.
The new Government has moved swiftly to tighten immigration settings but, as the full impact of higher interest rates seeps through the economy, unemployment is steadily increasing.
The national unemployment rate currently sits at 4.3% and most economists expect it to climb above 5% in the coming months. The Māori unemployment rate is already at its highest point in four years at 8.2%.
Young Zealanders now find themselves competing with more people for relatively fewer houses and relatively fewer jobs.
And, as we enter a winter of economic discontent, who could blame them for leaving?
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Well being this winter
Hello neighbors
I have been teaching wellbeing activities at Avondale Community centre for the last 10 years every Saturday morning 8.30 to 9. 30 am
It includes yoga acupressure energy healing relaxation and meditation
$10 covers expenses for hall etc
Be a part of this beautiful group and make new friends
Uma Chopra
Avondale Yoga
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