After fighting for decades to keep control of their perks, MPs have meekly accepted a Law Commission report which says all their allowances and entitlements should be set by an independent authority.Prime Minister John Key said yesterday legislation to do
After fighting for decades to keep control of their perks, MPs have meekly accepted a Law Commission report which says all their allowances and entitlements should be set by an independent authority.
Prime Minister John Key said yesterday legislation to do that would be introduced early next year and passed before the end of 2011.
Former Law Commission president Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who held office while the report was being prepared, said the system couldn't be fixed by tinkering with it and "a complete paradigm shift" was needed to ensure public confidence.
"MPs are put under pressure by the system itself, it isn't fair on them and it isn't fair on the public," he told NZPA.
"They are often under suspicion because they are involved in setting the amounts themselves."
Prime Minister John Key moved quickly yesterday, and within two hours of the report's release he announced the Government was accepting its recommendations.
"We're happy to support the move to an independent body determining expenses and entitlements for MPs," he told reporters.
"Ever since the scandal in the United Kingdom around MPs' expenses, this has been an inevitable move. Parliament needs to get into the 21st century."
When the legislation is passed, the Remuneration Authority which sets MPs' salaries will also set their entitlements and allowances.
It will have two members added to it so it can handle the job, and one of them is likely to be a former MP with at least nine years experience.
At least four reviews during the last 10 years have recommended roughly the same as the Law Commission, and they were all rejected by Parliament.
But this time there was no complaining.
Labour leader Phil Goff said it was a good move.
"That way, there's no suspicion of MPs actually feathering their own nests," he said.
The Greens said they had always wanted it to happen and ACT leader Rodney Hide said it was a great idea.
A string of spending scandals and the recent resignation of a cabinet minister over abuse of the international travel allowance may have been instrumental in the swift acceptance of the Law Commission's recommendations.
But Mr Key didn't give anyone much of an option.
The Law Commission also recommended opening the Parliamentary Service to the Official Information Act and increasing the fine for MPs who are absent without leave from the current $10 a day to about $250.
Those issues are still to be considered by Parliament.
