Public Address | Cafe | Legal Beagle: MPs to vote on raising international travel perk

izogi

Mon, 16 Mar 2015 10:20:53 +1300

I think Parliamentary Services needs to explain what they do. If they log on July 1st every year to book the fare when do they book it for?

I’d guess that if the Roger Douglas-esque "It's My Entitlement!" stakeholders have anything to do with it, it’d be a case of…

marty

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 18:43:37 +1300

I think Parliamentary Services needs to explain what they do. If they log on July 1st every year to book the fare when do they book it for? If they book it for July and at short notice then its going to be peak season and at short notice so…

Sofie Bribiesca

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 18:03:11 +1300

King said the wording "Air New Zealand " had inadvertently been left out when the long-standing entitlements were transferred to the new Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Act 2013. Because the benchmark had always been Air NZ prices they were rectifying the mistake and it has cross Party support.…

Lucy Telfar Barnard

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:56:06 +1300

No, you haven't misunderstood anything. That does appear to be exactly what she's claiming, which is why it's such total poppycock. I wonder if that's what they've told the Greens and NZ First when they were convincing them to vote for it?

izogi

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:49:24 +1300

Her claim that “"They benchmarked it to China Air or something, which was dearer than Air New Zealand, actually. If it had been benchmarked to Air New Zealand the allowance would have been cheaper”

Where did she get China Air from? Is she saying that former MPs were paid based…

marty

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:12:53 +1300

Lucy, yes my thoughts exactly her arguement makes no sense.. (and the reporter lets it go)
Now lets see wasnt she one of those hypocritical labour MPs enjoyng the hospitality of Skycitys corporate box... yes she was

Lucy Telfar Barnard

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:02:29 +1300

The story’s been picked up by the Herald. Less than impressed to see my local MP (Annette King) backing it.
*wanders off to see just how long she’s been in parliament*
…and of course, as anticipated, she’s been there since before 1999, so of course she’s arguing for it.
Her…

Steve Curtis

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 14:19:53 +1300

There was a connection issue that didnt allow me to say the current economy plus has 6 across seating rather than the 10 across on 777-300ER flights to London.

The point is, that when this perk came in business class was much more like the premium economy is now.

Steve Curtis

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 13:46:12 +1300

business class in Air New zealand is not first class elsewhere

I didnt say that, its that Air NZ business NOW is the equivalent of first class back THEN and the economy + has moved up to be equivalent to business class back THEN. ( has wider seats 20 in,…

Ian Dalziel

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 07:42:27 +1300

Nomad MPs and other gangs....
I've never understood the need to continue to reward MPs beyond their period in the House, it's not as if they aren't paid reasonably – and the nature of serving the public is just that, not going back for seconds – if they're not up…

jb

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 04:45:51 +1300

But with variable pricing, there is no such thing as an “Air New Zealand Business Class fare”
AKLLHR 30 April? $7256 29 April? $5706
The Cathay fare someone mentioned? Varies between $4100 and $8400 within a matter days next week.
All of which might have changed by the time you…

Sacha

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 23:38:28 +1300

who put this in the Bill? #cuibono

marty

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 23:37:24 +1300

I think they knew entirely what it cost as some old boy mp would of complained about having to be seen getting on to a less high class airline and didnt want to be caught again on a cheaper outfit.
They wouldnt of changed it unless someone had pointed out…

Sacha

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 23:08:19 +1300

Nah, that would make you a sucker :)
nice work

JC Carter

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:21:42 +1300

Tosh.

Long haul business class in Air New zealand is not first class elsewhere. Air new zealand business class is on par with other three.four class airlines. Such as Singapore air, emerates, british airways, KLM, Ethiad etc. Lie flat beds are largely defacto in most modern airlines, bar older models…

JC Carter

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:17:48 +1300

Look. I cant do anything about these pay rises, its out of our control. These are set by an independent authority.

Oh, perks, hell yea, we can up our perks. lets do that. Oh we handed back some payrise. ok lets raise the perks even higher.

Steve Curtis

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 12:18:31 +1300

Business class on Air NZ is now the equivalent of first class ( lie flat beds etc). It seems that premium economy is now the new business class, wider seats more legroom.

Regarding the preference for booking Air NZ, its usually a corporate deal, ie they save money overall with…

izogi

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 12:15:10 +1300

Good spotting (Philip).

What is 'business class', anyway? If Jetstar decides that the difference between Air Mail Cargo and Business Class means that the latter gets a glass of water during the flight to London, is that what the current law recommends?

If Air New Zealand renames 'Business Class' to…

Andrew Geddis

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 11:32:17 +1300

Here's what I wondered ... is there any Government procurement policy requiring ex-MPs to give preference to Air NZ for their travel (as, for instance, we're meant to at the University of Otago)? And it appears that there is: http://www.business.govt.nz/procurement/all-of-government-contracts/current-all-of-government-contracts/travel#air

Question then is whether this applies to ex-MPs booking their…

Phil Lyth

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 09:04:45 +1300

It's published, let it be.

Not sure whether the old scheme is online anywhere, but the international travel perk was always capped at the value of a return business class airfare to London. I cannot remember if explicitly stated as Air NZ, but back in the day fares were pretty…

Ian Dalziel

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 08:53:36 +1300

The old boys (and girls) lobby is strong then...

I think they should add a more gladiatorial aspect to it, and create a tontine so that as the old 'entitled ones' pass on so do their travel perks to the remaining 'old ones' – until the last remaining 'ex-public servant…

Graeme Edgeler

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 08:45:40 +1300

Thanks, I think

Can remove, if you'd like.

Graeme Edgeler

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 08:44:49 +1300

As for why they're doing this: my guess is that when they wrote the perk into the new law, they didn't realise what the lowest cost business class return fare actually cost.

Phil Lyth

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 08:35:59 +1300

Thanks, I think, for the mention. I'm more of a WWDITS sort of guy.

Public Address

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 08:35:59 +1300

Discussion from blog post.