Crown Limos in Northland by-Election a Fraud on the Taxpayer

With a budget blowout for Crown limos it’s time the National Party refunded the taxpayer for the swarm of limos used in the Northland by-election, says New Zealand First.

“The Prime Minister and Ministers merrily billed the taxpayer for the Crown cars while campaigning for the National Party’s re-election,” says New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“This was a fraud committed against the taxpayer.

“Mr Key is fond of dodging questions by wearing another hat. His office has confirmed he campaigned on policies in Northland as Leader of the National Party and not as the Prime Minster.

“The PM and Ministers Joyce and Bridges travelled thousands of kilometres in Crown limos in the by-election.

“Mr Key said at the time ‘a minister is free to use both air travel and ground travel any time they want, and in the middle of an election campaign, I'd use my ministerial limousine’.

“However, his office said in a letter to New Zealand First that information around policy and the Northland by-election was held in relation to his ‘role as Leader of the National Party and not as a Minister of the Crown’.

“So, as he wasn’t campaigning as a Minister Mr Key should pay the money back,” says Mr Peters.

There was a $500,000 blowout in the annual Crown limo budget of $7.4 million.

ENDS

© Scoop Media