Everyone else does it, so why can't we?
Talk about damning with faint praise.
Prime Minister John Key's defence of his fellow ministers taking their spouses, partners, girlfriends, or boyfriends with them when travelling overseas was about as weak as a Bellamy's coffee.
At yesterday's post-Cabinet press conference, Key was quizzed extensively on the topic of ministerial travel, which was apt since he was fresh off the plane himself from Tokyo (he did appear to have had a shower).
You might remember that Key issued an edict some months back that in these straitened economic times, ministers were not to take their spouses with them when they flew internationally unless they footed the bill themselves.
However, three ministers - ACT leader and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide, United Future leader and Revenue Minister Peter Dunne, and Agriculture Minister David Carter - have essentially thumbed their noses at this directive by simply heading to another pot of taxpayer cash: their parliamentary travel perk.
Now, regardless of the ethics of doing this, it is perfectly within the rules. All are long-standing MPs who have earned the right to subsidised international air travel for themselves and their partners.
It's no different to Chris Carter taking his partner with him when he flies internationally, or Roger Douglas and his wife having a nice trip to Britain on a 90 per cent subsidy.
But it does rather highlight the whole problem with the system of entitlements and perks and allowances, when some are administered by the executive under the auspices of Ministerial Services, and some are controlled by the Speaker under the Parliamentary Service.
Basically, while Key has control over the former, he has none whatsoever over the latter.
Nevertheless, I thought his defence of his ministers in availing themselves of their parliamentary entitlements was so weak as to send a very clear message that he was far from happy about the practice.
He also essentially shot down their position by admitting that he himself always paid for his wife and kids to travel with him, even if it was an official visit.
I was surprised to hear that he had paid for Bronagh Key to go to Japan. She was essentially representing New Zealand as our First Lady and by all accounts got on famously with the Japanese PM's wife.
This kind of stuff is very important to Asian cultures in particular, and in fact Bronagh probably has more chance of getting a Free Trade Agreement with the Japanese than her husband does.
Of course, Key has the ability to take these principled stands (he doesn't take the car he's allowed either, or the petrol card, or many of the other perks and allowances he could) because, in his words, he has "independent financial means''.
In other words, he's rich.
One of the questions we need to answer when we ponder whether Key's approach is the right one is whether we want only MPs who are wealthy in our Parliament. On the plus side, we could then demand they pay for everything themselves. On the other hand, it wouldn't exactly be a House of Representatives.
The opening up of Parliamentary Service records to the public has certainly had an ongoing impact on MPs behaviour, however, which is a good thing. It certainly helped cut down Chris Carter's travel bill.
Rodney Hide told me last night he wouldn't be availing himself of his travel perk for his partner again because it just wasn't worth the grief.
On the one hand, Hide has been a hypocrite by publicly demanding the end of the travel perk and then using it himself.
But I can also understand his frustration. He sees every other backbench MP with their snout in the trough and thinks, what's the point in being a martyr about it?
I know Rodney always used to fly economy class for the same reason, but in the end decided it was a mug's game when no one else followed suit.
I think it's only a matter of time before more of these perks disappear - at least those which no longer make sense in 2009. Few members of the public buy the argument that MPs need to have their spouse travel with them to keep their relationships healthy.
Plenty of other people - business people, those in sales, IT consultants, the armed forces - have to spend long periods away from home and the taxpayer doesn't pick up the tab for their spouses.
Ironically, I think Key has things the wrong way around. As a taxpayer, I'm perfectly happy to pay for his wife or the spouses of ministers to travel when on official business, and where their presence is an additional benefit to NZ Inc.
But I don't want to pay for MPs to take their spouses on holiday, or for any form of personal travel.
If the rule was official business only, signed off by the Cabinet Office, I don't think the public would have a problem.
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Colin, you are right in that the PM of this country and his spouse should travel at the expense of the taxpayer. Apart from a few nutters I believe there is universal agreement on that. Key is trying to be popular in paying his own way. A nice gesture for whatever reasons however he is the head of state and should take his entitlement. Perhaps he could then pay for his MP's travel if he wants. The leader of the opposition should have the same entitlement and take it. All other MP's should pay for their spouse/partner/girlfriend/boyfriend.
Hide has just proved he is no better than those he has chastised and that unfortunately makes it worse for him. He is the architect of his ultimate popular demise.
End of story.
Seems like a whole lot envy going on. Mean time John Key just gets on and runs the country and leaves the kids behind throwing toys.
I agree, it seems slightly retarded for the Prime Minister to not take his wife with him. It make our country look cheap and petty - so many other issues that are far more important. Of course the Rodney thing is a different deal entirely - the line could be drawn based on the level of relationship - are they married (or civil unioned) to their partners - no gf's, bf's or madams allowed. No cousin Wayne or sexual assistant Jenny. Also it would be good to see some sort of reporting on what 'The Rod' was doing on his trip - from what I understand he was blowing his own trumpet at right wing conferences and doing little 'fact finding' to make Auckland a better place during this merger & acquisition of his.
Key's strategy at his fumbling press conference was to divert attention away from his ministers by telling us he pays for his wife's travel.
Kat #2, you have just made John Key King, as the head of state of New Zealand is the Queen, John Key is just the prime minister.
Kevin #6...ooops your right!..I meant to say head of govt.
@ Kat - "however he is the head of state and should take his entitlement" Are you really saying that Key should have to take what he is entitled to? I think it is entirely his choice about whether he does or not. He should not have to take it if he feels that he would rather pay himself.
Kevin James #3 'Mean time John Key just gets on and runs the country and leaves the kids behind throwing toys.' Um yes with Labour Lite integrity and no ideas at all but you have to like him - my what a smile.
"You might remember that Key issued an edict some months back that in these straitened economic times, ministers were not to take their spouses with them when they flew internationally unless they footed the bill themselves."
Key's directive as PM to his Cabinet is crystal clear. Whether as MPs they can trough someplace else is irrelevant. He said pay yourself. They ignored him. Key did nothing, in fact covered up for them. Pathetic. And the MSM says, aw shucks, but we like him. As for Hide, again the MSM is covering up for him. Principles are only principles when they are tested. Hide folded, just like Key. What a pathetic bunch of self-serving hypocrites.
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'Of course, Key has the ability to take these principled stands (he doesn't take the car he's allowed either, or the petrol card, or many of the other perks and allowances he could) because, in his words, he has "independent financial means' and for that we should commend him - but we wouldn't begradge him the car and the travel perks if he took them, it is when the likes of Carter, Failed Leader English, Former Perk Buster and Now Perk Lover Rodney abuse the system that the tax payer have reasob to complain. Just a shame Key didn't stick to his guns when he told his ministers not to take the wife or girlfriend - he sounded flakier than normal on Sunrise this morning on the subject - but he did smile so all the right wing nutters will be cooing.