I'm entitled, says Douglas

DON SCOTT/The Press

TRAVELLER: Roger Douglas said his trip was not all holiday, "but certainly it was largely a private trip".

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Sir Roger Douglas says he is entitled to a holiday in Britain at the taxpayers' expense.

The ACT MP, who has been vocal in his demands for the Government to cut public spending and for Kiwis to tighten their belts during the recession, has one of the highest airfare bills among MPs.

Figures released by Speaker Lockwood Smith yesterday show Douglas spent $44,411 on air travel in the first six months of this year - the most of any MP who is not a minister except Labour's Chris Carter.

Douglas said much of the bill was for a trip to Britain he took with his wife this year.

He said he was entitled to it and bristled at suggestions he was a hypocrite.

"It's exactly like [former prime ministers] Helen Clark, Jenny Shipley, Mike Moore and others. I'm entitled to claim back 90 per cent of my overseas travel, and I did that for a trip to the UK which I did with my wife," he said.

"If I had not been an MP I would still have been able to claim that money."

MPs elected to Parliament before 1993 and who served three terms receive a discount of 90 per cent on their international airfares for the rest of their life.

Douglas said his trip was not all holiday, "but certainly it was largely a private trip".

"I spent some time with my son and my grandchildren," he said.

"That was granted to us by the Remuneration Authority a long time ago. That was a tradeoff that they made at the time. They said less wage increases for MPs in return for certain entitlements."

Asked if he saw any hypocrisy in his trip, given he was a critic of Government spending, Douglas said: "Listen, my friend, this is a right that Helen Clark has, Jim Bolger has - it's something that I would be able to do if I was an MP or not. Thanks." He then walked off.

Douglas spent more than his leader, Local Government Minister Rodney Hide, who spent $34,841 on air travel.

A spokesman for Hide said expenses varied from MP to MP and he was "not overly concerned" about Douglas' travel bill. "His major issue is greater transparency and he is pleased these figures have come out."

Labour said Carter's travel bill was unusually high because of international visits as the party's foreign affairs spokesman.

Carter spent $57,137 on domestic and international travel, more than Labour leader Phil Goff, who spent $35,000.

Labour's spokesman on the expenses issue, Trevor Mallard, said Carter "has been to the US, UK, China and Canada representing the Opposition on foreign affairs he is a hard-working member".

Like all MPs, Carter's bill includes travel by his partner, but these expenses are not separated.

Mallard said spouses should not be scrutinised in the same way as their MP partners.

Goff's total travel and accommodation bill was the highest of Labour's MPs at $124,000. This was largely because he is entitled to a Crown limousine.

- By COLIN ESPINER, The Press

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Sam   #60   08:20 pm Aug 02 2009

Jesus - when I first read the article I thought it said $441,000 and I thought that was a bit much $41,000 isnt that much really. I think he should not be spending more than $60,000 on travel

Dave   #59   02:31 pm Aug 02 2009

First we had ROGERNOMICS. Now we have BLUDGERNOMICS

Waltraud   #58   08:34 am Aug 02 2009

Roger Douglas, Bill English, Paula Bennett and all other Politicians.... no MORALS and definitly no feel for the economic disaster we are in right now. and last but not least, NO IDEAS how to get us outta there. biking? inviting rich realtives we don't have!? but as long as there is something to steal from the taxpayers, Politicians will just do that...BLOODSUCKERS !!!!

Marc Milton-Talbot   #57   09:55 pm Aug 01 2009

Never trust a guy who refers to you as "my friend" because you can be damn sure he isn't.Greed is good...Yeah right Rodger.Keep that snout of yours in the trough.With a bit of luck you'll choke.

chris   #56   08:06 pm Aug 01 2009

This whole government has a cold heart, and very selfish motives.they seem to look after themselves very well ,(plus the wealthy) but not the average hard working new zealander, who has to pay for their perks they say they work so hard for.

LOUIS   #55   07:33 pm Aug 01 2009

it is just greed and to lazy to work what have you done to proof your self

why doyoucare   #54   04:54 pm Aug 01 2009

What the heck???

jake   #53   04:14 pm Aug 01 2009

Entitled - maybe. Respected - not now.

JGM   #52   03:51 pm Aug 01 2009

Thanks goodness we have the money for all these perks after we didn't get our promised taxcuts.Nice!

Phoenix   #51   03:20 pm Aug 01 2009

#18 Okay, so he gave up his salary increase to get this perk. Was his salary increase $44k a year? That's alot more than your average increase. I have no problem letting MPs use tax money for work related trips, but not for personal ones. Their salaries reflect the type of job they do for this country already, they do not need any extras. Spend that money on the tax payer please.

As it is, there are alot of NZer's who have forgone salary increases, and many who have taken pay cuts. What are our perks from these deals? If we are lucky, we get to keep our jobs.......

And who spends the better part of 40k on one personal trip to the UK?? What the heck did he spend it on?? Show some humility man, your spending was excessive!

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