Spending by Ministers on overseas trips

A case of déjà vu?
(A feeling of having experienced before, something that is happening at the present moment)

Recent public concern at the number of overseas trips by Ministers of the new government and the hesitation in completing the picture by providing details as to travel expenditure resulted in a meeting on Friday morning between media representatives, the Minister for Finance Hon Mark Brown and Finance Secretary Richard Neves.
The meeting took place on the front lawn of the PM’s Office grounds.
It follows a meeting at Parliament on Thursday morning between media representatives and the Clerk of the House Nga Valoa concerning the release of travel information. Valoa confirmed the Speaker advised that the information should be released however the details of discussions remain confidential.
Interestingly, the depletion of the travel allocation ($250,000) under the civil list by a CIP government mirrors the situation nine years ago to the day (almost) when Pitt Media Group’s Independent newspaper reported the rapid depletion of the travel budget ($150,000 in just two months) under the then coalition government led by Robert Woonton. Déjà vu?
Back then, the coalition’s Finance Minister was the CIP’s Sir Geoffrey Henry who is now the Speaker of the House, with oversight of the Civil List.
Prime Minister Woonton, like Henry Puna, was the MP for Manihiki.
Back to the present day.
Regarding the public’s perception of excessive travel, Brown pointed to the benefits to the Cook Islands of recent meetings especially in Vanuatu and Auckland. Benefits he said which greatly outweighed the costs.
Brown said that on coming to power, the CIP discovered many instances where projects involving donor grants, had become stalled with donors indicating the grants would be withdrawn. There was a level of ineptitude which meant large sums of money were not used. Indicative of the times perhaps, when the Cabinet of PM Jim Marurai was under pressure from others within the Democratic Party.
Brown said more than one Minister travelled to meetings as there trend within the Pacific region now was for joint meetings.
Brown said, “You cannot expect Ministers to sit at home and expect money to fall out of the sky.”
On the state of the civil list and the travel budget, Brown disclosed that $250,000 had been budgeted for MP’s travel. To date (China trip included) $200,000 had been used this financial year (from 1 July 2011). There was $80,000 of unused finds carried over from last year and the balance in the travel account is $129,000.
Brown handed out a copy setting out details of expenditure.
He said the allocation had been used up faster than expected but Cabinet and the government were mindful of the need to take measures to reduce costs. Brown said government was planning to review the civil list. It needed to be reviewed by independent people.
As to future advice on Minister’s travel, Brown said this would be provided by each Minister following their trips. He said government has made a commitment to be open and transparent about overseas travel.
Government is to be commended for agreeing and undertaking to be open and transparent. It certainly is a step forward. - Charles Pitt

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