TV3 ran a story about veteran trougher and disaster tourist Chris Carter and his extravagant travel arrangements.
As I watched the story it got me thinking. He justifies all his trips with the explanation that he was representing Helen Clark or doing meetings and appearances with NZ’s reputation in mind. He also says he is a “very busy person”.
So, how about the diaries and full itineraries for all these trips are released so that we can judge whether or not the taxpayer did actually get value for money? For example, if I remember rightly, Tau Henare was pilloried in the Bolger/NZFirst government for travel where he did only one meeting per day while Lockwood Smith when he traveled was averaging 8 or 9 meetings a day.
For Chris Carter to say he is “a busy person” we really need to see his diary of meetings for all of those trips just to see if he actually was a busy person or just using the taxpayer to try to save his “marriage”.
The full itinerary would also show if there were any convenient holidays sandwiched in there somewhere on the taxpayers expense.
Transparency of all the details and sunlight are the best disinfectant for the stench of troughing. For me the troughing of MPs must be brought to heal. Fortunately this travel was while Carter was a minister so the information is available under the OIA, ot so for any travel by all MPs though as parliamentary Services remains firmly outside the OIA.
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Years ago, I heard Chris Carter call himself a social democrat. Yeah right. WTF does that mean. This $131,000 spending is wrong on so many levels when on the average wage that’s about 3 years salary and he spent it in 6 months.
Watching the news he spent some ridiculous amounts for a few days travel.
I say apply the same rules to politicians as they impose on business. Before overseas travel is deductible there must be a complete itinerary to justify a deduction.
These guys should be accountable but unfortunately they are either on the list or in safe seats.
Shame on you Chris Carter. Go and explain your spending to the person struggling to put food on the table.
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Another point.
Business has IRD enforcing the rules and if the tax payer dares to claim personal expenses they come down hard and in a lot of cases this is justified.
Why should Mr Chris Morally Bankrupt Carter get away with rorting the system. And he’s not the only one.
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What the feck is this interfaith conference he attended?!!?!? As I recall, the Labour party hasn’t shown much interfaith when it comes to talking to the Exclusive Brethren?
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Chris has now got “Old Yeller” sticking up for him, that would be a worry.
Completely right Whale this whole allowance system needs some sunlight and transparency, these clowns seem to spend like the bucket will never empty, it’s taxpayer money their spending, there must be some accountability, open the books and let the sunlight in.
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A new benchmark has been set, and not before time. From now on, we can expect every Minister to provide us, once all the bills are in, with a full itinerary and detailed schedule of costs. Sunlight is indeed the best disinfectant.
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http://www.3news.co.nz/Politics/DuncanGarnersBlog...
TV3 states it very well. Cant wait for more info to come out. (and not come out like carter)
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Sweet D
” Interfaith” is all about sucking up to the muslims which he seems to be very good at doing. Many deluded Christians are involved in type of thing all round the world.
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The British government has written the handbook on how, and poms are henceforth doomed to extinction
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Chris “Columbus” Carter – kinda says it allo, does it not?
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