Greens want MP travel perks axed

The Green Party believes MPs' travel perks should have been axed in the review of MPs' salaries and allowances announced today.

Last year MPs kept control of their travel and other allowances, despite the Auditor General saying at the time that these should have been determined by the Remuneration Authority.

"On the whole, the Parliament Service Commission has done a good job in achieving the transparency and accountability requested of MPs," Green Co-leader, Rod Donald said today. "For example, we have abolished the day allowance and the constituency allowance and insured that reimbursements for accommodation and vehicle use are based on actual expenditure.

"However, we have failed to deliver what the public has been demanding on MPs' travel perks. The Green Party was the only party calling for these perks to be abolished and for rules to be introduced so that domestic and international travel could only be for Parliamentary purposes.

"The one consolation for the public is that the Remuneration Authority is deducting almost $11,000 from every MP's salary in lieu of private travel entitlement," said Mr Donald. "This creates a perverse incentive for MPs to fly more in order to get the money back."

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