Ministers' expenses: MinistersExpenses21709.pdf / MinistersExpenses.xls
Members' expenses: Understanding members’ expenses / ExpensedisclosureJanJune2009PDF1.pdf / Members_Expenses_300709.xls]
Disclosure of expenses for members of the Executive
Fact Sheet
Members of the Executive (Ministers of the Crown) require financial resources and support services to fulfil their
responsibilities and to service the public efficiently and effectively. Their entitlement to these resources and support
services is specified in the Travel, Accommodation, Attendance and Communications Services Determination 2009 (the
Determination).
In the Determination the following principles are applied in the use of publicly funded resources by members of the
Executive:
• expenditure must be reasonable for the circumstances and able to withstand tax-payers’ scrutiny
• expenditure must be for official ministerial purposes only
• expenditure must be properly documented and supported with tax invoices/receipts
• expenditure must be able to with stand audit scrutiny
• expenditure should represent value for money and cost-effectiveness.
This fact sheet provides information on the expenses disclosed by the Department of Internal Affairs for members of the
Executive under the Determination. The Department of Internal Affairs is subject to the provisions of the Official
Information Act 1982 and has previously released information on expenses for members of the Executive.
Period of disclosure
The expenses shown in the attached table were brought to charge in the period 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2009 as per the
records held in the Department of Internal Affairs’ financial system.
Accounting processes mean that costs in the financial system for each month do not always reflect expenses incurred in
that month.
Information disclosed
In addition to the financial resources and support services provided to members of the Executive under this
Determination, they are provided with certain entitlements as members of parliament under a determination administered
by the Parliamentary Service. Information on these expenses is disclosed separately by the Parliamentary Service.
Expense categories for members of the Executive include:
• Air travel
- Domestic – airfares for members of the Executive.
- International – expenses include airfares, accommodation, internal travel, receptions and related travel costs as these costs are not
recorded separately.
International travel for members of the Executive funded from Vote Ministerial Services is approved by Cabinet or in the
case of travel to Australia, by the Prime Minister. Travel expenses shown may include any costs for the Minister and any
accompanying spouse, staff, Members of Parliament or students where relevant, as these costs are not recorded
separately.
• Surface travel – expenses include VIP Transport Services (Chauffeur drive and self drive vehicles), ferry, trains, taxis and may
include the Minister and accompanying staff as these costs are not recorded separately.
• Wellington accommodation - Ministers are provided with the use of an official residence in Wellington. If a Minister chooses not to take up an
official residence they are entitled to claim actual and reasonable expenses up to the limit specified in the “the
Speakers Directions”, as for ordinary members of Parliament.
The Department of Internal Affairs manages, maintains and services official residences owned by the Crown.
Wellington accommodation expenses for leased properties are paid directly by the Department of Internal Affairs to
suppliers.
• Out of Wellington accommodation – expenses include hotel, meal and incidental expenses for members of the Executive.
All expenses are exclusive of GST, Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) and depreciation as applicable.
Statutory framework
Members of the Executive are also members of Parliament, and as such, have all the entitlements to travel,
accommodation, attendance, and communications services that the Speaker determines, under section 20A of the Civil List
Act 1979. These entitlements are set out in “the Speakers Directions”.
The entitlements for members of the Executive as specified in the Travel, Accommodation, Attendance and Communications
Services Determination 2009 are additional or alternative to the entitlements they receive as members of Parliament.
Under the Public Finance Act 1989 the Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services is the Responsible Minister for
Vote: Ministerial Services.
The Department of Internal Affairs’ policies and administrative processes provided accountability for the way in which
Ministerial Services funds are appropriated.
Future Disclosure
It is intended that the Department of Internal Affairs will provide future information on the expenses of members of the
Executive on a quarterly basis.
Janice Calvert
for Secretary for Internal Affairs
July 2009
ENDS