Maori MPs' windfall criticised

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National is under fire for pumping tens of thousands of dollars in extra entitlements the way of the Maori Party and four of its own MPs at a time when the rest of the public service is under orders to show restraint.

The Cabinet has signed off a $400,000 boost, with most of it going to the Maori Party's four MPs, under their coalition deal with the Government, and National MPs Bill English, Chris Auchinvole, Colin King and Jacqui Dean, because they have large electorates.

The boost will give those MPs an extra $40,000 each to hire more staff and office space, on top of their existing $65,000 electorate allowance.

Labour's two Maori seat MPs Nanaia Mahuta and Parekura Horomia also benefit from the windfall.

Leader of the House Gerry Brownlee said the deal recognised the unique circumstances faced by Maori MPs and others with vast electorates. There would be no increase for other MPs, who were expected to "button down tight".

The Public Service Association, which acts for public servants, said the Government's timing was surprising, given its drive to lower costs in the public service.

"The call for restraint does sit very oddly against this decision," national secretary Brenda Pilott said.

The Government had already sent conflicting signals by hiring ministerial advisers and press secretaries at above-market rates.

National hired 18 press secretaries on rates of $100,000 or more, compared with eight under Labour.

"Here we have another example ... they have been talking down wage demands in the public sector and there's cost savings going on all over the service," Ms Pilott said.

"But it appears, however, when they want to find money for a particular service, they can.

"People will have to judge whether that's a good priority versus other programmes that may be cut or indeed people finding themselves out of a job."

Under the coalition deal with the Maori Party, National agreed to fund extra staff members for the large Maori electorates, but the Cabinet extended the funding to include others in the same boat, such as Mr English and Mr Auchinvole, whose Clutha-Southland and West Coast electorates were equally vast.

Mr Brownlee said the extra funding was a factor in coalition negotiations, when it had been accepted that it was difficult for MPs to cover the vast Maori electorates effectively.

Te Tai Tonga electorate, for instance, covered 147,000 square kilometres, compared with Epsom's 22sq km.

The Auckland urban Maori seat Tamaki Makaurau did not get any extra money because it was smaller.

- © Fairfax NZ News