NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle to donate Marlborough district councillor salary to charity after ‘double dipping’ claims

NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle will stay on in his second role as Marlborough district councillor until October, but says he will donate his salary for that job to a local charity after criticism about him taking a salary for both roles.

In a statement this morning, Arbuckle said despite becoming an MP in October, it had always been his intention to stay in his role as councillor until October this year to avoid the cost of a local byelection.

Until now, he has been paid to do both.

“In light of feedback and upon reflection, any remuneration I have received in my role as local councillor since the date of the general election in October last year, as well as any future remuneration received until I stand down, will be donated to a local district community charity.”

NZ First leader Winston Peters said he had not raised the matter personally with Arbuckle and would not say who had.

“We all make mistakes. We all have a chance to reconsider,” he said.

This morning on Newstalk ZB, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he would not accept one of his MPs simultaneously drawing salaries as an MP and a local councillor.

Luxon said Peters was responsible for his own MPs, but “if it was a National Party person, it wouldn’t be acceptable to me”.

However, he said he would not agree to take an MP in that position into the coalition’s Cabinet, saying the job of a minister was a fulltime one.

Arbuckle said it was his fifth term as a councillor and he was passionate about local issues and would continue to work hard for his community.

Marlborough councillors with no additional responsibilities earn $40,250, but those who sit on committees earn extra. Arbuckle is on the economic finance committee.

The base salary of an MP is about $164,000, not including office expenses, superannuation, accommodation supplements and other benefits.

Previously, Arbuckle had said he was confident he was filling both roles well, saying the council experience gave a Marlborough perspective to his work in Wellington.

He had initially proposed to draw the council salary until December, but at that point decided he could still perform both jobs.

Other MPs who were local councillors when elected to Parliament in October had resigned their council roles, requiring byelections. They include National MP Ryan Hamilton (Hamilton East) and Green Party MP Tamatha Paul (Wellington Central MP).

Arbuckle is a list MP.