Motoring MPs put $40,000 dent in the public purse
BY MARTIN KAY
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Politics
Long hours on the road, demanding workloads and the bumps and scrapes of politics make for a hard life for ministers.
And also, it seems, for their cars. The Internal Affairs Department spent nearly $40,000 repairing ministerial self-drive cars and the chauffeur-driven BMW limousines in the year to December, according to figures issued to The Dominion Post.
The cost for repairing self-drive cars for 17 ministers – including six from the last government – was $19,928 and the bill for the limos was $19,391.
A department spokesman said most of the cost for the self-drive cars was for normal wear and tear, repaired when cars were handed in by departing ministers or to keep those remaining in the fleet in "pristine condition" to maximise resale values.
"More often than not, this is an accumulation of small parking scrapes and scuffs to paintwork not attributable to a single accident."
However, the cars allocated to Justice Minister Simon Power and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples were in accidents. Both have $889 insurance excess costs recorded against them.
A spokesman for Mr Power said the damage to the left front of his Holden Captiva occurred when his wife pulled over to make room for a car coming the other way on a narrow stretch of road. Ministers' spouses are permitted to use the cars.
Dr Sharples' office did not respond to requests for information about the accident involving his car.
Six chauffeur-driven cars were involved in accidents.
The highest cost for repairing a self-drive car was $2392, for Finance Minister Bill English's Ford Mondeo. He declined to comment.
Labour's Shane Jones was $7 behind on $2385. He said he had "never been in a prang", though the ruggedness of roads in the Far North, where he lives, could have taken its toll. "The roads of the north are a bit like the politicians of the north – slightly roguish."
But former Labour ministers Maryan Street and Harry Duynhoven were surprised to find any repairs were required after their cars were handed in when the government changed.
Ms Street said her Toyota Prius was not in any accidents, and Mr Duynhoven said that, as far as he was concerned, his Skoda was in perfect condition.
"The Skoda didn't have a mark on it. I was really proud of it, because it was in beautiful condition."
The department spokesman said repairs to Mr Duynhoven's and Ms Street's cars were for normal wear and tear to restore them to mint condition for sale.
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I think it is about time reporters like Martin Kay either find something more news worthy to write about or they reviewed their career choice. Talk about absolute pettiness.
Michelle #11, Maryan Street and Harry Duynhoven were given cars while they were Ministers.
Ok, that's not a huge amount for maintenance on that many cars.
But why are they given cars? They signed up for the job. I know people who are rural doctors or travelling IT repair people and they don't get given cars. They are given a per km allowance which reimburses them for fuel and wear and tear.
Why aren't our MP's given that? Or are they? Why former Labour ministers Maryan Street and Harry Duynhoven were given a Prius and a Skoda are beyond me.
I work for Government, do I get a car too?
I spent $3000 on maintenance and repairs to my car last year - I think $20k for the ministers' 17 cars is well within what you'd expect. I'm glad I didn't pay to read this "story".
Have to agree that $40,000 is pretty damn good considering the size of the fleet. To be perfectly honest im quite enjoying the fact that all this information is out in the open. The transparency of this government is really refreshing. And lets face it, God only knows how much the taxpayer wasnt privy to during previous governments. Im kind of impressed that a minister will actually resign his portfolios in the wake of 2 pitiful bottles of wine on his credit card.. and yet Rodney Hyde, and Hopeless Hone, can still show their faces after quite significant abuse of the taxpayers funds... hard to beleive really...
More journalistic nonsense and rubbish. How about decent stories and news that hasn't been copied from some other news sites around the globe. The standard of journalism in this country is appalling, and one newsworthy item get's thrashed to death over several days. The six o'clock news on either television channel each evening would have to be some of the very worst presented news in the country.
I can understand why the costs are high as its due to the fact that the vehicles that they drive are expensive to maintain and repair. Although I don't understand why Maryan Street and Harry Duynhoven's vehicles were repaired if they thought they were in good condition. Also my other understanding is that the government lease their vehicles, so isn't the wear and tear part of the leasing agreement and it would mean that they don't have to be resold?
$40k for a fleet of cars is nothing. The Limos are driven by very competent people, dunno bout the self drivers, but lets get government spending into perspective.
How many cars are we talking about here? This is a non story from a journalist too lazy to look for a real one.
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If they had to pay for their own cars perhaps they would be more careful about mileage etc... The sense of entitlement of MPs (regardless of which party) is revolting. And it seems for all we pay them we get a bunch of muppets anyway...