Living off the smell of an oily rag

Readers will be glad to know that as well as being honoured by Helen as one of the 20 greatest living New Zealanders, Jonathan Hunt will not be starving in London.

Helen Bain reports that on top of his salary of up to $162,000 a year, he will also receive a parliamentary pension of $77,000 a year net, or over $126,000 a year gross.

The combined income of $288,000 will go well with his taxpayer funded state house in London worth $8 million. And a nice wee entertaiment allowance of $75,000 which should buy a fair bit of wine and cheese.

But let us not begrudge such trivial amounts, to one of our 20 greatest living New Zealanders.