Backlash continues against MPs' perks

Sir Douglas Graham

Mounting public criticism of politicians - past and present - taking taxpayer-funded allowances continued yesterday after former Cabinet minister Sir Douglas Graham said he would give up his international travel subsidy in exchange for a pension increase, but only when he is too old to fly.

Sir Douglas also wrote a defence of travel perks for nzherald.co.nz in which he said: "My conscience is clear."

Some Your Views readers, 600 of whom have now commented on the MP allowance issue, turned their anger on him.

Pat, of Wellington, said Sir Douglas may have done the hard yards but: "We've all had to do those. In an age where most New Zealanders are having to make do and more often than not go without, Doug's clear conscience is nothing short of obscene."

A New Zealander who has moved to Victoria in Australia said that with MPs like Sir Douglas "stealing taxpayers' money and having the cheek to tell you to keep paying your taxes so he can continue to receive his perks", it was no wonder highly skilled Kiwis like her had moved overseas to work.

But a Manurewa reader defended Sir Douglas, saying he remembered how hard the former minister had worked on behalf of the country to settle Treaty grievances. "He's one of the good guys and I'm not even a National voter."

And one Onehunga reader writes: "We all moan about what MPs get paid, but do we want to do the job?"

However, one Hibiscus Coast reader summed up a feeling expressed by many: "What's coming to light in all of this is the fact that very few of our parliamentarians are dedicated to the service of their country and working for the people of this nation. Instead, they are revealing themselves as a bunch of cheap, nasty fraudsters and charlatans, entering politics to satisfy themselves and take out what they can, at the expense of society."