[See... New Zealand Parliament: Understanding members' expenses

Members' disclosures: ExpensedisclosureJanJune2009PDF1.pdf / Members_Expenses_300709.xls
Ministers' disclosures: Disclosure of expenses for members of Executive / MinistersExpenses21709.pdf / MinistersExpenses.xls]

Understanding members’ expenses

Information on the expenses disclosed by the Parliamentary Service and the Office of the Clerk for members of Parliament.

Information disclosed

The summary of expenses is shown by party, member and expense category. Expense categories include:

Paid by Parliamentary Service

• Air travel – domestic and international flights. Travel expenses for a member of Parliament include any travel paid for their spouse or partner and dependent children.
• Surface travel – taxis, rental vehicles, ferries, trains, mileage claims and depreciation on self drive vehicles.
• Wellington accommodation – reimbursement of the cost of staying in Wellington for members who normally live elsewhere (e.g. rent, interest on mortgage etc.).
• Non-Wellington accommodation – hotel reimbursement or daily allowance outside of Wellington.

Paid by Office of the Clerk

• Inter-parliamentary travel – airfares, departure taxes and accommodation for a member of Parliament and accompanying spouse or partner (where they have a representational role) while participating in the official inter-parliamentary travel programme.

All expenses are shown exclusive of GST and Fringe Benefit Tax (which applies to Parliamentary Service travel expenses). The summary of expenses does not include expenses for members of the Executive that are administered by Ministerial Services. This information is being disclosed separately by Ministerial Services and is available at http://www.dia.govt.nz/press.nsf/index

Statutory framework for members’ expenses paid for by the Parliamentary Service

• The principle of accountability
• The principle of appropriateness
• The principle of openness
• The principle of transparency
• The principle of value for money
• The cost effective principle

Members of Parliament are entitled to claim expenses pursuant to the Civil List Act 1979, the Parliamentary Service Act 2000 and the Directions and Specifications for Services and Funding Entitlements for the House of Representatives, its Members, Former Members and Certain Electoral Candidates 2008 (‘the Speaker’s Directions’). The Speaker’s Directions are available at: http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/AboutParl/HowPWorks/Speaker/CorpDocs/

Under the Public Finance Act 1989 the Speaker is the Responsible Minster for Vote: Parliamentary Service. This means that the Speaker is accountable for the expenditure of the Parliamentary Service. The Speaker has approved detailed financial and administrative policies and processes that are to be followed for meeting members’ of Parliament expense claims. The legislative provisions and the administrative processes provide accountability for the way in which parliamentary funds are appropriated.

Members of Parliament and parties are accountable for their use of services and entitlements and must be able to certify that usage is within the rules. Members are required to certify their invoices for goods and services which are checked by the Parliamentary Service before the expenditure can be met. Each party whip must monitor, on a monthly basis, the travel and accommodation expenditure by members of their party. If excessive costs are being incurred a whip may advise a member that they should limit, or not incur, any further costs in that year. The certification process ensures that all expenditure met from Vote: Parliamentary Service complies with the Speaker’s Directions and Parliamentary Service policies and procedures to provide confidence that public expenditure is being correctly applied.

Statutory framework for members’ expenses paid for by the Office of the Clerk

The authority for meeting the costs of members’ travel and accommodation for the official inter-parliamentary travel programme is provided under section 20A of the Civil List Act 1979 and the Parliamentary (Official Inter-Parliamentary Travel Programme) Travel and Accommodation Determination (SR 2007/117). The services that members are entitled to are set out in a document: Specification for Travel, Accommodation and Related Services Available to Members of Parliament Participating in the Official Inter-Parliamentary Travel Programme. These documents are publicly available on the Parliament website: http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/AboutParl/HowPWorks/Speaker/CorpDocs/

Under the Public Finance 1989 the Speaker is the responsible Minister for Vote: Office of the Clerk and the Clerk of the House is accountable for the vote as a chief executive under that Act. The Clerk of the House is also required to ensure that the work of the Office is carried out efficiently, effectively and economically under section 3 of the Clerk of the House of Representatives Act 1988.

The Office of the Clerk is responsible for organising the air travel and accommodation for the members of Parliament participating in the official inter-parliamentary travel programme. These arrangements are made in conjunction with a host parliament or inter-parliamentary organisation. Members follow the advice of the Office of the Clerk regarding inter-parliamentary travel and are usually presented with confirmed arrangements for air travel and accommodation prior to departure. Members have little or no choice over these arrangements.

Future disclosure

ENDS

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