Politics

MPs' spending expenses revealed

18:44 pm on 16 August 2018

MPs spending on travel and accommodation across all parties has rocketed up to more than $2,000,000.

National Party leader Simon Bridges fields media questions before heading into the House. Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox

The details of spending in the months from April to June have just been released, and they show a more than $500,000 increase from the quarter before.

It also confirmed National Party leader Simon Bridges' nearly $114,000 bill, the details of which were leaked to media earlier this week.

READ MORE: Simon Bridges' expenses leak: what we know so far

That leak is now the subject of an inquiry ordered by the Speaker of the House.

The official expenses information shows MPs spending was $2,100,474 in the April quarter, up from $1,493,715 in the previous quarter.

Spending for all parties is up, National MPs spent $1,400,000, compared with just more than $900,000 the quarter before.

Labour was also up from $441,000 in the January quarter, to $495,000.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern insisted her MPs have been making a genuine attempt to try to keep their expenses down.

Ms Ardern said efforts were made, for example, when there were several MPs travelling to the same place - to hire a van.

New Zealand First had a significant increase, going from about $64,000 to $103,000.

The Greens and Act also spent more, with the Greens racking up an extra $22,000.

Apart from Mr Bridges the highest spenders were mainly MPs who lived in the regions, which meant a bigger travel bill.

The highest of those was the National MP for Clutha-Southland Hamish Walker at nearly $40,000.