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Wednesday, 09 October 2024 13:55

Air Miles

Written by  The Hound
Air Miles

OPINION: The latest travel receipts for MPs are in (April – June 2024).

Running the cutter, we have National on a total of $697,315 - an average of $13,946 for its 50 MPs.

Act spent a modest $103,536 for an average of $9,412 for 11 MPs. NZ First spent a total of $70,566 or $8,820 for eight MPs.

Labour averaged $21,156 for 35 MPs - a total of $740,481.

The Greens are usually big carbon emitters, and this year is no exception.

They spent no less than $284,780 for an average of $17,798 for 16 MPs. Te Pāti Māori spent $188,887 - the highest average of $31,481 for its six MPs.

Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer easily burned the most jet fuel, spending $60,990 – a lot for an MP who is in Opposition and hates oil and gas exploration.

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"Everybody wants to fight on the economy if they can. But when neither side has a compelling story, the contest shifts to other issues. That's not new. In fact, it's the stuff of politics everywhere, always."

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