Key, McCully under fire over taxpayer-funded flights

Prime Minister John Key and Foreign Minister Murray McCully are being criticised for taxpayer-funded flights and opposition MPs are expected to raise more questions in Parliament today.

It was revealed last night that Mr Key accepted a free ride in a helicopter, decided it wasn't a good look and taxpayers ended up footing the $2000 bill.

TV3 News said Mr Key was in the Waikato launching a cycleway in late 2009 when the helicopter pilot offered to take him to Auckland at no charge.

"When we got back to Auckland we later on decided there was just a risk that it could infer some sort of benefit or favour and so my office paid for it," Mr Key said.

He didn't know, when he accepted the ride so he could get to Auckland in time for a "security related" meeting, that the helicopter was owned by the Vela brothers.

The fishing and racing millionaires have been in the news in the past because of their support for New Zealand First leader Winston Peters and his use of what may have been the same helicopter.

Mr Key has used Air Force helicopters in the past, and was criticised by Labour and the Greens last month for flying in one from the V8 motor races in Hamilton to attend a golf club dinner in Auckland.

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei said last night Mr Key needed to "fill in some of the blanks" around his use of the helicopter.

"This time around Mr Key has fobbed off any questions about his 'copter use by saying his meetings were security related," she said.

"If the taxpayer is paying for the prime minister's use of a private helicopter owned by the Vela brothers, then the taxpayer is entitled to know what it was Mr Key was doing after his $2000 aerial taxi ride."

Mr McCully has been under fire for using an Air Force Boeing 757 to get to Vanuatu for a Pacific Forum meeting, and coming home on an Orion.

Labour MP David Shearer says the flights cost $75,000 and Mr McCully could have flown commercially for $4000.

Mr McCully says he couldn't get back to attend important meetings without using the Boeing and the Orion, and he took delegations from Pacific Island countries with him because they needed a lift.

In Parliament yesterday Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said he asked Mr McCully to consider an alternative to using Air Force planes and was told military flights were the most efficient way to go.