Dyson to repay $16,000

Vernon Small at Stuff reports:

Labour MP Ruth Dyson is to pay back $16,000 of taxpayers’ money used for a recent private trip to Ethiopia for herself and her husband.

She said in a statement it was no longer appropriate for taxpayers to subsidise such trips “when so many Kiwis are struggling to make ends meet”.

She said when she applied for the trip last July it was before the rules had changed and the subsidy was perfectly within the rules.

“However, I felt uncomfortable about the subsidy all the while I was overseas, and when I got back yesterday I informed Labour Leader Phil Goff I would be repaying the subsidy of just under $16,000, and making a statement about it.

So Ruth never ever felt uncomfortable about it after the rules changed. Never felt uncomfortable it as they were preparing to go. Only felt uncomfortable “all the while” she was overseas.

Stuff had tried to contact Dyson about the trip and her recent loss of the health portofio and her demotion one place to five on Labour’s front bench. But her office said she could not be contacted in Ethiopia.

This points us to what really happened. Ruth was absolutely happy to have the taxpayer gve her a $16,000 trip for two to Africa, so long as no one knew about it. But once the media started asking questions about it, she decided it was “wrong”. What transparent insulting spin.

What is also innteresting is the timing of the holiday. Now I don’t begrudge MPs lengthy holidays, because most of them bloody hard during the year. But usualy the holidays are taken during the summer break, or at least during a recess.

Why was Ruth Dyson taking a 2+ week holiday during the first two weeks of the parliamentary term? The reshuffle was on 2 February and it sounds like she was already overseas then, and only got back yesterday. Goff must have approved this trip – why would you approve a 2 – 3 week holiday during the parliamentary term?