EXPENSES DETAILS
WELLINGTON: A New Zealand designer scarf for the wife of the French president, a secret book and an ‘‘opioid diary’’ are among items bought by government ministers on their ministerial credit cards in the last quarter.
The Department of Internal Affairs has finally released the expenses of ministers for the June quarter after an accounting error delayed this by weeks.
According to credit card receipts, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern bought a $230 scarf by upmarket New Zealand handbag designer Deadly Ponies.
That was presented to Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, when she visited Europe in April.
Police Minister Stuart Nash spent $25.20 in March on a Time magazine and, intriguingly for a police minister, an ‘‘opioid diary’’. His staff explained that was a special edition of Time called The Opioid Diaries, which discussed the growing problem of fentanyl addiction in the United
States.
‘‘He purchased a number of copies of the special edition to distribute to colleagues in the health/law and order area regarding police efforts to combat organised crime and the illicit drug trade. He was briefed on the fentanyl addictions during meetings with law enforcement officials in Los Angeles and Mexico city in February and they advised him of the Time edition (American version) during this trip,’’ his spokeswoman said.
Other expenses revealed were a $1066.84 bill for a roundtrip between Brisbane Airport and the Gold Coast QT Hotel for Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran in April when she visited the Commonwealth ‘‘for a firsthand look at what it takes to broadcast a multimedia mega sports event’’.
A spokesman said it had been the cheapest option for car travel avail able for the minister by $293.
Former economic development minister Steven Joyce was roundly criticised when he racked up a $1248 taxi ride during a trip to Australia in 2015.
The cost was incurred during a oneday trip to the Australian Jobs Fair, at a rate of $110 an hour for the cab and driver.
An invoice that has been partially redacted for $178 is for the printing of a manuscript for Justice Minister Andrew Little.
It relates to an unpublished book written by Mr Little’s father about his connection with the family of United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Mr Little presented Sheikh Abdullah with the manuscript when he visited New Zealand earlier this year.
A condition of the gifting, because of the sensitivities of its content on historical events in the region, meant it could never be disclosed, a spokesman for the minister said.
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones spent $1925.36 for a night at the swanky Millbrook Resort with his wife and a staff member during the NZ Golf Open in May, attending a dinner with forestry industry representatives, and a function for Open sponsors.
Green Party coleader James Shaw enjoyed a Mexican dinner with a fellow minister at Auckland’s trendy Britomart. Their meal featured, fittingly for a Green MP, a broccoli salad. Dinner was washed down with couple of Mexican beers and Panhead Supercharger.
Also released yesterday were ministers’ travel and accommodation costs.
The figures showed ministers spent $1.49 million in the last quarter, about $500,000 less than the previous government in the same quarter last year. — NZME