MPs exiting Parliament still pocket perky $3k-$4k a week

Their time in Parliament might be up, but MPs can still look forward to a few perks.

All 34 MPs who resigned or lost their seat at the election still get paid a salary for three months — about $40,000 in total, or $3300 a week.

That includes disgraced National MP Todd Barclay, who quit at the election over a secret-recording scandal in his Clutha-Southland electorate office.

Outgoing ministers such as Peter Dunne get paid a slightly higher rate — about $4400 a week — until a government is formed, after which their income falls to the lower rate of $3300 until December.

All of the departing MPs will lose their taxpayer-funded travel and accommodation subsidies, except for return flights to Wellington to clear out their offices.

Some of the ex-MPs’ perks are lifelong.

As a former Prime Minister, Sir John Key will get $51,725 a year for the rest of his life, a taxpayer-funded car, and free travel if he is carrying out duties as a former leader. It is not known whether he is claiming this entitlement. Helen Clark, Jim Bolger and Jenny Shipley have all benefited from it.

Long-serving MPs Annette King, Murray McCully, Maurice William- son, and Dunne will get free international travel for themselves and their spouses for the rest of their lives.

The travel perk only applies to MPs who served three terms before 1999 and is capped at the cheapest Air New Zealand business-class flight to London each year and 12 domestic return flights.

Former MPs and their partners spend about $700,000 a year through this entitlement, though the MPs received less pay when working at Parliament because of it.

Some new MPs, on the other hand, may miss out on getting paid at all.

Any list candidate who made it into Parliament in the preliminary

Sir John Key will get $51,725 a year for the rest of his life, a taxpayerfunded car and the opportunity for free air travel.

election result can get their airfares to Wellington paid for them.

But if they lose their seat when the special votes are counted on October 7, they will not be paid for any work since the election.