Today, stuff.co.nz reported:
Cabinet minister Tim Groser budgeted $44,000 for a two-day trip to Paris last month.
The bill includes an estimated $33,494 for airfares from Kuala Lumpur to France and back to New Zealand for Mr Groser and an aide.
The last-minute trip to attend an OECD ministerial meeting was sparked by the shock resignation of former environment minister Nick Smith over an ACC scandal.
The only way this is possible is if they didn't plan the trip in advance at all and rang the airlines on the day they wanted to fly out. You can fly from Kuala Lumpur to Paris for under $1000, and from Paris to New Zealand for under $2000. $33,494 on airfares is way over the top.
Labour's state services spokesman, Chris Hipkins, last night called on Mr Groser to release details of the costs and pointed to the Government's intention to veto a paid parental leave bill on the grounds of costs.
"At a time when the Government are saying they can't find the money for parents to spend time with their children they should be looking a little bit more closely at where they are spending taxpayers' money on themselves.
Exactly! National are choosing to not fund more paid parental leave because they want to spend the money on less worthwhile things, not because we cannot afford it. It's about priorities... and healthy Kiwi families is obviously not a priority for this National government. So what are National MP's priorities then?
Two years ago it emerged Mr Groser charged at least $1469 against taxpayer funded credit cards for alcohol purchases. He ran up a minibar bill of $466 in one week at The Square hotel during the Copenhagen climate change conference. This included five $92 bottles of Famous Grouse whisky.
He defended the spending as "squarely within" the rules. He was also reprimanded by Mr Key's office after a complaint was received about heavy drinking among his trade delegation on a flight back from Dubai.
In Grosers' case he wants to prioritize our taxes on getting pissed and taking expensive and unnecessary trips to Paris. Only an A hole of the first order would put such priorities above the welfare of our children.
