Sir Douglas Graham said ex-MPs were entitled to their travel allowances. Photo / Paul Estcourt
Sir Douglas Graham said ex-MPs were entitled to their travel allowances. Photo / Paul Estcourt
Mounting public criticism of politicians – past and present – taking taxpayer-funded allowances continued today 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 wrotea defence of travel perks for nzherald.co.nz in which he said: "My conscience is clear."
In response, some Your Views readers, 600 of whom have now commented on the MP allowance issue, today turned their anger on him.
Pat of Wellington acknowledged that Sir Douglas may have done the hard yards earlier on but said: "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 Australia's Victoria 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 that highly skilled kiwis like her had moved overseas to work.
On the other side of the debate, a Manurewa reader defended Sir Graham, 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? Many MPs could make more money elsewhere. Why on earth does a Minister make less than the officials he is in charge of?"
However, one Hibiscus Coast reader summed up a feeling expressed by many on the issue by saying: "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."
