MPs' latest home ownership, interests revealed

The number of Members of Parliament who did not own a home, apartment or block of land dropped slightly from last year. Some MPs, on the other hand, declared large property portfolios.

Just 10 MPs do not own a home, while some MPs own more than 10, according to the latest interests register.

The Register of Pecuniary Interests reveals how many properties and businesses MPs own, whether they have interests in state-funded organisations, and which companies they have accepted gifts from in the last year.

The number of MPs who did not own a home, apartment or block of land dropped slightly from last year.

Those that did not declare any property were NZ First MP Darroch Ball and Ria Bond, Act Party leader David Seymour, Labour MPs Kris Faafoi and Peeni Henare, National MPs Louise Upston and Paul Foster-Bell, Green Party co-leader James Shaw and MP Marama Davidson, and Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox.

Some MPs, on the other hand, declared large property portfolios.

Some of the biggest property-owning MPs include National Cabinet Minister and Selwyn MP Amy Adams, who declared eight properties including farm land, commercial property, an apartment and two residential properties.

National and Otaki MP Nathan Guy declared farm land, a family home, two rental properties and Thorndon house. He also has interests in 13 commercial properties.

Mt Roskill-based National list MP Parmjeet Parmar has declared seven properties including four residential rental properties, a family home, and commercial property.

The register showed Prime Minister Bill English had retained his relatively modest portfolio - a home and a farm in Dipton.

Compared to his predecessor John Key, there is a noticeable absence of golf rounds at luxury resorts in his declarations. He instead declared just one gift - a free helicopter ride.

Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett has been active in the Auckland property market, selling a home in Sunnyvale. She still has properties in Mt Eden, Oratia and Henderson.

Bennett has previously said that had a number of homes to help out her daughter and grandparents, and that one of the homes was a leaky rental.

On the entertainment front, she declared tickets to the ASB Classic tennis event, a concert, and a drive in a Formula One car at Bruce McLaren Park.

Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little has one house, in Wellington's Island Bay.

In the last year, he accepted tickets to four All Blacks matches from the NZ Rugby Union, and tickets to the music festival WOMAD.

The companies which appeared to be the most active in wooing MPs were Sky City, Lion Breweries, and the New Zealand Rugby Union, which offered numerous politicans free tickets to events or gifts.

Of the more unusual gifts, Act Party leader David Seymour was given a few laps in
a race Hampton Downs in a vintage racing car.

Former Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee declared two bottles of whisky from the deputy chief of staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

He was bettered by National backbencher Paul Foster-Bell, who picked up a $360 bottle of cognac and six bottles of single malt whisky from Spirits New Zealand.

The register does not give a complete picture of property ownership or the scale of MPs' interests, because they can declare multiple titles or blocks of land under a single entry.

National MP Ian McKelvie, for example, declared four properties in the 2017 register - a family home, farm land, commercial property, and an apartment.

The Herald has previously found that he owns more than 3200 acres of land spread across 53 legal titles, worth a total of $68m.

Nationwide, 63.2 per cent of people live in their own home - the lowest rate since the 61.2 per cent recorded at the 1951 Census.