News Jaya

Anderton wants to stop current MPs beingfunded for standing in by-elections - but he claims $190.33 per constituent seen

Jim Anderton wants current MPs to be prevented from wasting taxpayers money in contesting by-elections and getting another member from their party in Parliament on the list should they win. He has drafted a private members bill to that effect.

Anyone want to draft a private members bill which will prevent people from joining two political parties at the same time so purely to prevent a certain party leader losing $13,000 for being a leader of a party[ and a spokesperson for another party] that doesn't actually do anything but get a further $164,000 of taxpayers money for party "expenses", when many of the active members are supporters of a different party?

Anderton claims that the $164,000 is for the “1500 constituents who pass through” his office each year. That's $109.33 per constituent, most of whom he wouldn't even see.

Perhaps another bill can be drafted that ensures that registered political parties who want to stand candidates for Parliament must also stand list candidates - and they cannot be "spokespersons" for other political parties.