Source: Radio New Zealand
RNZ / Quin Tauetau
A home care worker’s calling the government out for alleged double standards over mileage rates paid to MPs.
Earlier this month, home and community support workers were given a temporary boost to their mileage rates – from 63.5 cents to 82.5 cents per kilometre.
Relief teachers also received a similar increase.
But the amount politicians can claim for using their private vehicles for work purposes is considerably higher.
Checkpoint confirmed with Beehive sources that MPs can claim mileage up to 14,000 kilometres a year at an IRD rate of $1.17 cents a kilometre for a petrol car and $1.26 for diesel vehicles.
MP’s spouses can also claim the mileage if the vehicle use is connected to parliamentary work – for example, driving the MP to a meeting.
Napier home support worker, Tamara Baddeley called the difference “bloody disgusting.”
“It’s a total double standard. They are on six-figure salaries to begin with, we are on wages of $25 to $32 an hour,” she said.
She said she would like to see MPs do care workers’ jobs for a month with their pay and allowances.
Checkpoint asked Parliamentary Services for the mileage figures but they wouldn’t supply the amounts paid per kilometre, saying the rates were based on AA reports it couldn’t share.
But the programme confirmed the payments from a claim form that shows IRD rates are used.
Those are calculated at the end of the financial year and new rates are currently being calculated for the year ended 31 March 2026.
IRD said they’ll be available soon and will reflect changes to the cost of fuel up to that date.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
