MPs Pay Bill Receives Support

An overhaul of the regime governing MPs remunerations and expenses made progress in Parliament today with general agreement.

Attorney General Chris Finlayson on behalf of the prime minister said theMembers of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Billupdated the administration and regulation of MPs and ministers salaries and expenses.

The bill implements most of the recommendations in the Law Commission’s report Review of the Civil List Act 1979—Members of Parliament and Ministers.

It gives more oversight to the Remuneration Authority though others, such as the Speaker still control some items of expenditure.

Labour MP Trevor Mallard said the bill was now a “muddling” one as it partly implemented the Law Commission’s recommendations and the status quo with different parts of the regime now controlled by different organisations.

Mallard also attacked the Prime Minister for saying MPs pay should not go up this year as it confused the public about the independence of the process.

The bill completed its second reading on a voice vote

MPs began the first reading of the Health and Safety (Pike River Implementation) Bill.

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