ACT Leader Richard Prebble says the scrutiny being applied to Alamein Kopu's use of taxpayers' funds should be applied
to every other MP as well.
Mr Prebble said he had received information from usually reliable sources that Alamein Kopu had been 'put up' to getting
recognition as a party by a person who realised that she would qualify for $77,000 of taxpayer funding.
"That person had thought that they would get the money," Mr Prebble said.
Mr Prebble today released his correspondence with the Speaker, saying he took the Speaker's responses to mean that Mrs
Kopu can only use the funding for legitimate Parliamentary purposes such as research - and not for campaign purposes.
"We are prepared to support a proposal to cut Alamein's funding," Mr Prebble said. "However it is ACT's view that the
expenditure of taxpayers' money on all MPs is excessive, and the scrutiny that is being applied to Alamein should be
applied to every MP."
ENDS