Former MPs will continue to get their taxpayer-funded international travel perk despite last night's decision to scrap it for current MPs, and the Green Party says that isn't right.Parliament's Speaker, Lockwood Smith, made the announcement after discussi
Former MPs will continue to get their taxpayer-funded international travel perk despite last night's decision to scrap it for current MPs, and the Green Party says that isn't right.
Parliament's Speaker, Lockwood Smith, made the announcement after discussing the allowance with representatives from all the parties in Parliament who sit on the Parliamentary Service Commission.
The issue came to a head after former cabinet minister Pansy Wong last week resigned her portfolios because she broke the rules when she and her husband used the allowance -- a 90 percent rebate in her case -- for a trip to China.
Her husband, Sammy Wong, was involved in a business deal while they were there and using the perk for anything other than private travel is forbidden.
An investigation is under way into all Mrs Wong's previous travel claims, and there is speculation she might decide to quit Parliament.
Because she was elected before 1999 she would qualify for the perk if she left, and so would her husband.
Dr Smith said the investigation would be thorough.
He refused to discuss it as a specific case, but said if any MP was found to be in serious breach of the rules he would hand it to the police.
Dr Smith said he hadn't addressed the question of whether former MPs, who have a life-long right to the allowance, should continue to be able to use it.
"There are all sorts of issues there regarding the remuneration of former members," he said.
"There will be a chance to look at that."
Green Party MP Metiria Turei told NZPA there should be a full, independent review of all MPs expenses and allowances and the international travel subsidy should be taken away from former MPs.
She said there were more former MPs using it than the 122 currently in Parliament.
"That can't be justified, particularly in a modern democracy," she said.
"Can we really justify using public money for that? The Green Party doesn't think so."
All the parties in Parliament are understood to back Dr Smith's decision.
National, Labour and ACT have previously said the allowance should be scrapped.
That is going to happen as soon as Dr Smith has informed Prime Minister John Key and formally changed the rules, but the effect is immediate.
Dr Smith said there should still be an allowance for MPs to travel overseas but it would be strictly limited to parliamentary business.
The scheme was still to be worked out but it would be bound by principles of control and transparency.
Dr Smith said MPs would have to pay for part of their trips themselves.
"I don't see that as a perk, I'm not looking at a free scheme," he said.
"Not having access to such travel would restrict the ability of members, especially opposition members, from gaining important skills, experience and knowledge from overseas."
