Three MPs rack up $20k-plus travel bills - despite Parliament sitting for just six weeks

Three MPs racked up domestic travel bills of more than $20,000 in the first three months of the year, despite Parliament sitting for just six weeks over that time.

But the parties of all three MPs say the spending is in line with procedure and suggest busy schedules.

NZ First’s Jamie Arbuckle, Labour’s Glen Bennett and National’s Greg Fleming spent the most according to Parliament’s expenses register, which doesn’t include ministers.

The sums include all domestic travel, including flights, taxis, rental cars and operating costs for private cars.

Arbuckle and Bennett are based in Marlborough and New Plymouth, where travel costs are typically higher, while Fleming is based in Auckland and spent roughly double that of his Auckland-based colleagues.

According to the returns, Arbuckle, a first-term MP, spent the most at $25,098.

Bennett, a Labour list MP and the party’s chief whip, spent $21,349.

Fleming, the National MP for Maungakiekie, spent $20,931.

Responding to the figures, spokespeople from all three parties noted MPs’ responsibilities extend beyond attending Parliament.

The period also includes an annual away caucus held by most parties, and annual Waitangi Day celebrations in Northland.

The travel spending spree

The parties of all three MPs were asked to explain the spending.

Arbuckle is based in Marlborough, with a NZ First spokesperson noting he’s expected to travel frequently across the South Island and elsewhere.

“The responsibilities and expectations placed on our MPs is much different to if they held electorate seats.

“We expect them to constantly travel around the entire country as a NZ First representative and spokesperson in their roles and not just isolated to their electorate.”

“It must be noted that all travel costs are processed and presented by Parliamentary Travel and no concerns of cost or application have been raised with any NZ First MP.”

Meanwhile, Bennett, a Labour list MP based in New Plymouth, said flying regionally is expensive.

“With the reduction in Air New Zealand services, it’s actually really expensive to get anywhere from the regions.

“If you look at all the highest people, generally it’s people from the regions who come in higher”

He said his role as Labour’s tourism and hospitality spokesperson requires him to travel, including for tourism events in Queenstown, which can be expensive when flying from the provinces.

Despite living in New Plymouth, Bennett has been selected as the party’s Coromandel candidate.

Asked if he’s used his Parliamentary budget to travel for the purposes of campaigning in the region, he said he hasn’t.

“When I go there, generally I do it off my own back”.

A Labour spokesperson said: “We monitor Labour MPs’ spending and are satisfied it balances the requirements of MPs with the responsible use of Parliamentary resources”.

The third-highest spending MP, Greg Fleming, has no spokesperson roles.

The Auckland-based National MP for Maungakiekie spent $20,931 in the first three months of the year.

That compares to other Auckland-based National MPs, like Paulo Garcia who spent just over $11,000, Melissa Lee who spent $10,900 and Nancy Lu, who spent just under $14,000.

Asked to explain the spend, a National Party spokesperson said Fleming is a hard-working MP.

“During this period, Mr Fleming was called on to represent his colleagues at several events requiring short-notice travel bookings.”

While the travel, accommodation and expenses sums are declared, the Parliamentary Service remains one of the few public bodies exempt from the Official Information Act.

It means, unlike ministers, MPs aren’t required to publicly disclose receipts, statements, or itineraries.

Outside of the three highest-spending MPs, in fourth place was Labour MP Ingrid Leary, the MP for the Otago seat of Taieri, who spent just under $20,000.

Former Labour list MP Peeni Henare, who retired from politics in mid-March, spent $18,379. He was based in Auckland.

Two Green list MPs follow: Huhana Lyndon, based in Northland, and Scott Willis, based in Otago, who spent roughly $17,500 each.

Former Te Pati Maori and now independent MP Takuta Ferris spent $17,367 on travel, although he is responsible for the largest electorate in the country.

His seat, Te Tai Tonga, covers Wellington and the entire South Island.

Ethan Griffiths is a political reporter with Newstalk ZB, based in the Parliamentary Press Gallery. He joined NZME as a print journalist in 2020, previously working as an Open Justice reporter in the Bay of Plenty and Wellington, and as a general reporter in Whanganui.