About this episode

Kerre Woodham discusses the morality of MPs' expense claims amidst rising living costs.

Quite frankly, it's all getting a bit much. We're all tightening our belts, we're making decisions about where we're spending our money, what we're spending it on. The rates keep rising, insurance levies keep going up, the cost of everything is through the roof. And for many, many people, there's not a lot of disposable left at the end of the day. Even people who are earning pretty good salaries are suddenly finding there's not as much left at the end of the pay cycle as there used to be.   Meanwhile, our House of Representatives are seeing the members gouging the taxpayer for every last cent they can get out of us. Louise Upston is claiming the full $1,000 a week ministerial housing allowance, which she's perfectly entitled to. It's designed to support MPs based outside Wellington with the cost of maintaining two homes. And you understand that. When you become a Member of Parliament, your business is in Wellington, but you might be representing the people of Timaru. You have a home there, a family there. So where are you going to live while you're in Wellington? Your employer should pay your expenses given you're required to be there. So the employer does. It offers an…

People in this episode

Host: Kerre Woodham

Topics covered

• MPs' expense claims
• morality of politics
• taxpayer money
• cost of living
• housing allowance

Keywords

• MPs
• expense claims
• taxpayer
• housing allowance
• cost of living

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: House of Representatives

Places: Wellington, Timaru

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