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Hi
Friend,
We all know
politicians "take the piss" when it comes to entitlements.
But have
you seen the news about Chris Hipkins?
He has
taken it to a whole new level.
The most
common rort is when MPs claim a tax-free Wellington accommodation
allowance when they already own an apartment in Wellington. National's
Louise Upston has been in the firing line for this – but at least she
has the excuse of needing somewhere to stay in Wellington.
NZ First's
Andy Foster – literally the former Mayor of Wellington – is claiming
$36,400 (tax-free!) per year to stay in his family home in Wellington.
Taxpayers are coughing up 36 grand a year for him
to stay in a house he's owned for 26 years!
Foster gets
the money because he says his "primary place of residence" is a second
property in the Wairarapa he purchased last year.
Literally,
this MP moved *away* from Wellington once he became an MP.
🧐
But there’s
another perk that’s even more outrageous — and Chris Hipkins is using
it.
It's not well known, but MPs enjoy a gold-plated pension
scheme.
For
every dollar they invest, taxpayers cough up 250% of the
amount!
That means
that an MP who puts aside eight percent of their salary literally gets
$36,200 on top of their salary as a ‘top-up'.
Email
the party leaders to say enough is enough.
I don't
know about you, Friend, but I've never had a job where I get an
extra twenty percent of my salary topped up into my
KiwiSaver.
But it's
even worse than that. Unlike ordinary KiwiSaver, MPs can direct this
taxpayer-subsidised retirement money into personal schemes.
And Chris
Hipkins has done just that.
Hipkins' retirement scheme "invests" in just one thing: his beach
house!
Friend,
let's cut the crap. This isn't a retirement scheme, it's an MP slush
fund.
Email
the party leaders to tell them it’s time to bring it to an
end.
You
and I can't set up a retirement scheme that "invests" in a luxury
beach house.
Hipkins says it's "his money"
Chris
Hipkins is being evasive. He says it's "his money" and it's his
"entitlement".
Entitled is
right. Compare the rules MPs have set for themselves with the
rules they set for KiwiSaver.
KiwiSaver funds can only be used for a first home,
financial hardship, or, well, retirement! Not a luxury
bach.
Hypo-Chris-y
Hipkins was
quick to criticise when the heat was on the Government. But now he's
on the run.
But the
reality is MPs from all political parties are taking advantage of a
system designed to screw the scrum and avoid transparency.
But what
makes this revelation so damaging for Chris Hipkins is his previous
criticism of people investing in property and housing, rather than
equities and productive assets.
In
fact, Chris Hipkins wants a capital gains tax because he says property
'investment' is damaging New Zealand. Now we know that's exactly what
he's up to!
Stop the rorts: back these simple changes
We
say MPs' allowances, including for accommodation, should be limited to
cover out-of-pocket costs only.
That means
an end to the tax-free "no questions asked" (no receipts required)
allowances.
It's the
same approach any employer takes. Work-related expenses are
reimbursed, rather than it all being a slush fund.
Second, transactions should be arm's-length, so
MPs aren’t renting their own properties for their electorate office or
Wellington accommodation.
MPs should
not be allowed to be their own landlords for the purposes of enriching
themselves.
Third, the gold-plated superannuation scheme
should be scrapped.
Replace it
with a normal, no-hidden-perks KiwiSaver, just like everyone
else.
We'll email
it and deliver hard copies.
Friend,
reasonable minds can differ on what MPs should be paid. By eliminating
these hidden perks, it might mean MPs' pay goes up to compensate.
But that is a better outcome for
transparency and public trust than MPs enjoying hidden entitlements to
secretly 'top up' their
pay.
Please join us in
calling on the party leaders to stop the gold-plated pension
scheme
Thank you for your support.
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Jordan
Williams
Executive
Director
New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union
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