PM expects Treasury gifts to fall

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The Prime Minister believes the number of gifts accepted by Treasury staff will fall.

It follows recent controversy over the department's gift register which revealed employees had been on the receiving end of dinners, as well as tickets to sporting and entertainment events from trading banks.

John Key says all Government departments need to be careful in their activities and he expects behaviours will change as a result.

"Well the list will get shorter and that's the experience every time there's greater transparency in the expenses debates, ultimately sunlight's the greatest disinfectant."

Mr Key says just because Treasury staff go out for dinner with a bank's representatives doesn't necessarily mean it's sinister, but he accepts it's hard to justify accepting an invitation to a pantomime as a business activity.

- Newstalk ZB