This afternoon’s veto of a bill to cut MP salaries was a disgraceful display of self-serving behaviour, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.
Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “The MPs who used a veto to insulate their pay packets from the financial effects of
COVID-19 should be ashamed.”
“These politicians are wilfully putting themselves out of touch with businesses and households, who have been forced to
cut their cloth in the face of an economic shutdown.”
“The veto also undermines the spirit of the Prime Minister’s earlier move to cut ministerial salaries. Why should
back-bench MPs with few essential responsibilities be protected? Most of them have been sitting at home like the rest of
us, but only they are insisting on full pay.”
“No wonder trust in MPs is worse than for used car salesmen. Stuff like this shows they deserve it.”