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Sounds like a good deal. But the Labor Party is getting even sweeter.
Is that how it works
The Petone building is owned by the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union, which only charges the Labor Party $ 1,500 a year to rent it.
Labor then charges Labor MP Ginny Andersen $ 6,000 a year in rent, which Parliament pays out of taxpayer money.
The difference, a profit of $ 4,500, goes into the back pocket of the Labor Party.
And everything is within the rules.
“We abide by the rules set by the Parliamentary Service,” Ardern said.
Lower Hutt locals had different views on fairness when Newshub reached out.
“It’s not illegal, it’s not a problem,” said one man.
Another local was not so interested in the idea.
“Pretty pissed off, to be honest, yeah,” he said. “It is quite frustrating because I am voting for Labor.”
It did not seem to upset a local woman who said she is “a great supporter of Ginny Andersen in any case” and “will continue to be.”
National Hutt South MP Chris Bishop has weighed in on the issue.
“Taxpayer funding for parliamentary offices is totally legitimate, but it is meant to be rented; it is not meant to be rented a little more for the Labor Party to get into their campaign funds,” he told Newshub.
Andersen would not be interviewed, but said in a statement: “It is a long-standing agreement that goes back decades and that the Parliamentary Service knows and saves the taxpayers.”
It is not just Hutt South voters who should be concerned, as Ardern said on Friday that there will “certainly” be other cases.
The leader of the National Party, Judith Collins, is not aware of what is happening in her party.
“I am not aware of any arrangement like that.”
The Election Commission received a complaint about Andersen’s rental agreement and told Newshub that it is investigating it.
Don’t expect other parties to pile up too much on criticism, because, as the Prime Minister said, this kind of deal is likely to be widespread.
And politicians tend to protect their benefits that the public continues to pay for them.
