Mayor reopens Hide's perk wounds

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ACT Party leader Rodney Hide told Prime Minister John Key he was going to meet Arnold Schwarzenegger and other well known politicians when he sought permission to go on his controversial overseas trip, it was reported tonight.

Those meetings didn't take place, TV One News said, and Labour's deputy leader Annette King described Mr Hide as "a big noter" who had racked up a bill for taxpayers.

Mr Hide acknowledged the meetings with California Governor Schwarzenegger, British politician Lord Peter Mandelson and former lord mayor of London Ken Livingstone didn't come off.

He said he had hoped to meet them and had "put out feelers".

Mr Hide used his parliamentary perks to pay most of the bill for himself and his girlfriend on the trip to London, Canada and the United States.

He subsequently apologised and paid all the money back.

North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams today tried to rub salt into Mr Hide's political wounds.

Mr Williams said he had obtained under the Official Information Act Mr Hide's Cabinet paper on the trip and the itinerary

"Aucklanders will be fascinated to learn that, according to the official trip diary, Rodney Hide spent around 10 hours on Auckland governance, three and a half hours on regulatory reform, four and a half hours on ACT party policy, one hour in media interviews, and seven and a half hours having breakfast and lunch with his tour party who accompanied him on the trip," Mr Williams said.

Mr Hide said it was not true that he only done 19 hours' work.

The papers show that Mr Hide spent four days travelling and had around 25 appointments. There was also the two days off in London to attend a wedding and a mostly free day in Los Angeles where Mr Hide is said to have visited a theme park.

Mr Williams said the visit cost $100,000, but Mr Hide provided papers that showed the budget was $50,000 and his office said this had been underspent.

The Cabinet paper gives sparse details of a range of meetings including one with London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Mr Williams was angry at the deletions in the paper.

"Rodney Hide told Aucklanders on his return that `the reason for the trip was always work, and you'll see from the Cabinet report of the trip the work that I engaged in' but a glance at the official Cabinet trip report, also released, shows that around 80 per cent of the substantive content has been deleted, withheld on the grounds that the information is private and confidential and might damage international relations if released," Mr Williams said.

Mr Hide said the deletions were made by foreign affairs officials because they include confidential advice.

"What we know about Mayor Andrew Williams is that he opposes the one council for Auckland, so he has it made it his mission to hold me up. I'm focusing on getting the best results for Auckland," Mr Hide said.

Last month, Mr Hide made an emotional apology for failing to remember that politicians are spending taxpayers' money, and therefore must spend it carefully.

- NZPA