Ministers refuse to emulate Hide

Two ministers who used their travel perks to spend thousands taking their wives on official overseas trips are refusing to follow Rodney Hide's lead and refund the fares.

But a wave of bad publicity about the generous travel perks for MPs and their spouses has finally forced belt tightening on some ministers, who have pledged not to use the subsidies for overseas holidays until the economy improves.

Yesterday, Hide repaid nearly $12,000 he used to take girlfriend Louise Crome on an official trip to Britain, Canada and the United States after admitting there was no need for her to go.

The ACT leader and local government minister had already repaid $10,000 for the couple to holiday in Hawaii.

Her attendance on the official trip came after Prime Minister John Key told ministers in June they should pay if they wanted their spouses with them on business overseas.

But while he has refused permission for Ministerial Services funding for spouses' travel, he is powerless to stop ministers using the generous travel perks they get as MPs.

MPs get subsidies on international travel for themselves and their spouses or partners according to their length of service. A fifth-term MP gets the maximum 90 per cent rebate.

Hide's decision to repay the fare for Crome has put pressure on Revenue Minister Peter Dunne and Agriculture Minister David Carter, who have spent thousands taking their wives on business overseas, to follow suit.

Dunne spent about $12,000 taking wife Jennifer Mackrell to Europe in June.

Carter took his wife, Heather, to Europe in July, but the cost has not been disclosed.

Dunne would not say whether he would repay his wife's fare.

Carter's office indicated he would not refund the cost of his wife's travel, but she would not go with him at taxpayers' expense in future.

Fairfax has established that Police Minister Judith Collins used her perks to take husband David Wong-Tung on an official trip to Perth at a cost of $775.65.

She defended the spending as she was attending a conference of Australian state ministers and there was a function to which spouses were specifically invited.

"Frankly, I think he gave very good value for money in terms of helping me represent New Zealand in my very first official meeting with the other ministers."

Her husband, a former policeman with Samoan heritage, could have used her 50 per cent subsidy to travel to Samoa to help after the tsunami, but paid his own way.

Hide's decision to repay the cost of his Hawaiian holiday has raised the issue of other ministers who have used the perk to holiday with spouses following suit.

Those who confirmed using the cash for overseas breaks indicated they would not repay it, but several would stop using it while the economy was in trouble.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp spent $3484 for he and wife Denise Henare to holiday in the Cook Islands. He would not repay it, but would forgo the perk.

"Although it is part of my remuneration, I will not be using it again in the current economic climate."

Justice Minister Simon Power claimed $3991 of the $5475 cost of taking wife Lisa to Perth in January.

But he will not make further claims.

Housing Minister Phil Heatley spent $924 taking wife Jenny to the Cook Islands, and would also not use the perk again.

Education Minister Anne Tolley spent $4120 for her and husband Allan to holiday overseas to an undisclosed destination.

Health Minister Tony Ryall claimed $2560 for himself and his wife Kara to travel to Rarotonga.

Their offices did not say whether they would follow Hide's lead or continue using the subsidy for overseas holidays.