I just posted on another blog Bill stating this very point. Why are the NZ public so concerned now? Go back a few years when everyone thought they were making a killing and you didn't here a peep EVEN if you made the obvious "corruption" points. The NZ public only have themselves to blame for being so goddam ignorant sometimes! More concerned with the All Blacks or their own little "housing bubbles". If you think they are ripping us all off then do ME a favour! DON'T VOTE FOR THEM!. Take an interest in politics and make them more honest. Must we always find out the hard way that politics actually effects our lives?

Justice #1 I think it is fair to say that most of us, even those of us who take an interest in politics could not have known the details of for instance Bill English's finances. The Greens opened their books up which forced the others too. I think the timing of all of this is the real issue for many, here is English (please don't tell me politicians work hard so they deserve it, because I know people who clean the gutters and they work hard)with a nice little income on the side and the taxpayers are paying for it. When the late Rod Donald sat on the Parliamentary Services committee he wanted the rules tightened, alas he was the only one, and I still have ringing in my ears the comments from the speaker at the time on this subject to Rod.

I have never been able to understand why any politicians wife/husband/partner should be able to fly from Wellington to Christchurch for a shopping spree at the taxpayers expense, or anywhere else for fun frankly.

I think in fairness about people's interest or otherwise in politics, there are people out there who have enough money not to worry or care, there are also people out there who are just keeping their heads above water and their lives are consumed by just staying afloat. I suggest that many of the latter think that whether it is Labour or the Nats in government it isn't going to make a blind bit of difference, there is after all only a cigarette paper between them.

Sorry I missed out the timing thing. People are losing their jobs, being told they have to tighten their belts, and all the time this little sideline is going on by somone not exactly earning a small amount of money.

It seems to me we are quite prepared to bag solo parents for taking what they are entitled to but when it comes to our politicians, well they do a good job, or they work hard, or some other specious reason.

Daisy, I don't know where you have been lately but these perks WERE well known by many people for YEARS!, including the Parlimentary Press Gallery. Members of the Greens are NOT exempt either, nor are they or have EVER been innocent of such taxpayer exploitation. They are ALL in this trough together. I don't here many of the loud mouth Green MP's "dobbing" on anyone else. All in cahoots. Please don't even try to justify them.

Do you have a constructive thought left in your body Bill? I mean - is there anything of any substance that you can talk about or is this as good as it gets? Any good point you get may get close to (whether intentionally or otherwise) is lost in the cynicism and the furnace of your presentation. It's not even like a good seri-comic, the likes of a Tom Scott cartoon or column - it's just "who can I get stuck into this week". There should be a blog poll between yourself, Michael Laws and John Minto as to who's next - we've had anti Public Service week so that's done. The booze reformists have had a poke and Graham Henry and rugby officials are prebooked by other columnists it seems. Trading Banks? No, sick of them. POMs? Haven't had a go at them for a while. Baby boomers - someone's had a go at them somewhere - and got to be careful there of course. Immigrants? Police? Inland Revenue? Farmers - now farmers, surely they've done something wrong lately. Doctors charges, petrol companies, CYFS, plumbers, builders, public transport - there's got to be others.

Or how about some seriously critical investigation like the fact that less than 10% of rapes get reported in this country, or suicide among our youth - particularly boys - is amongst the highest per capita in the western world, or that television portrays more violence and disruption to young minds every night than you and I would have seen before our 30th birthday. And why is extreme violence in our society becoming more common as each year passes in our school yards, our homes and on city streets - go figure.

Maybe an article on your old medium Bill - and also the way news is presented and media interviews are conducted and presented in this country. That's something you should be familiar with so let's have an in depth analysis on that and see whether that is actually serving our country as best it can. The entire news service with the rare exception appears have gone tabloid and, well, a wee bit lazzarone really and maybe you could figure out why as well as the relative implications.

Nothing personal Bill but, if you can't get a life at least let the rest of us have one.

A sick ideology and our 'free' media' are the mix that presents us with politicians like English, Douglas and sorts. Bill Ralston is just the puppet of his masters, manipulating as they see fit, if he steps out of line he will be moved on and he knows that, so why not embrace the dogma. Professional politicians with Hayekian ideology as an underpinning are the types who will sell their own mother for the next post in the private sector, after milking the system for as long as they can. The political system of most western democracies is a testimony of the sick manifestation of Nash's game theory on which this whole performance called neo-liberalism is based on. Its all about how to betray your 'buddies'. I suggest to the interested to google the underpinning of todays politics in NZ under: "Nash equilibrium" or neo-liberalism. And I suggest to challenge any representative of this sick ideology with following question: Is in your dream of an equilibrium room for altruism? Why did this dream of economical self-realization only work for a minority that is now holding the majority in contempt in a new class system of 'Have all' and 'Have not'' How does your ideology take in account that nature and its resources are finite? Mr English's greed is only in accordance with his ideology- it is based on a game called: 'f#ck you buddy'...or 'so long buddy'... him repaying the money is only a little public-relation stunt to control the damage and was possibly already planed in advance...

Hey Mr No-Name. You are completely ignoring,and trying to bury,the fact that Bill English had not done anything wrong.If he had bought an investment house at the beach,say THE MOUNT,no-one would expect him to live in it while he is working in Wellington.It is the responsibility of the Govt. to provide housing for its' ministers.And don't we want happy settled people to be looking after our country? His electorate is a heck of a long way from Wellington. Do you want hin flying backwards and forwards several times a week ?? Get real and stop eating so many lemons.Mary (not Ms No Name)

For those of you who do not like Bill's blog - don't read it! Simple really.

So Mary, if I was to make "murder" legal would it still be morally or ethically wrong anymore? What Bill (and many other MP's) did wrong was to TAKE ADVANTAGE of the law!. Taxpayers money is exactly that, Taxpayers money!.Bill and his family "keeping together" ISSUES are NOT the Taxpayers issues nor problem. HE "CHOSE" to become a Politicain, HE and YOU would have a case IF we force him into the job. We didn't, therefore you have no case.

Tighten up on these politicians pathetic allowances!!!