Taxpayer bankrolls flights for Labour leadership fight

The four candidates in Labour’s leadership runoff met at the party’s headquarters earlier today to discuss the rules for the campaign and sign a code of conduct aimed at keeping the contest “seemly” and above board.

The regulations Andrew Little, Nanaia Mahuta, David Parker and Grant Robertson agreed to include how their respective tilts would be funded.

The candidates will adhere to parliamentary rules, which means they will bear such costs as accommodation, meals and transport themselves – unless the mode of transport is flying, in which case the flights will be paid for by taxpayers via MPs’ unlimited air travel allowance.

Mr Little rationalised the use of the allowance by noting that part of an MP’s job is interacting with the public and the contest will involve that.

Mr Robertson insisted that taxpayers aren’t “picking up the tab for the contest. We are obeying the rules we have around airline travel. Everything else is our own cost."

The campaign rules of engagement allow candidates fundraise, but they must disclose donations of more than $500 after the contest’s conclusion.

The use of trusts in order to keep the identities of donors secret has been banned in the wake of David Cunliffe employing this tactic in the last Labour leadership race.

Nick Grant
Thu, 16 Oct 2014

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Taxpayer bankrolls flights for Labour leadership fight

I say, I say, I say: What is the secret of successful comedy?

I say, I say, I say: What is the secret of successful comedy?