An Open Letter to Roger Douglas (and other MPs)

An article by Frank    8 Comments

Dear Roger Douglas (and all other MP’s riding the gravy train and claiming you are entitled to it),

Thanks to the New Zealand media, it has come to my attention that you have been claiming some hefty international travel expenses that are being covered by the New Zealand tax-payer, including personal trips like the one you took to the UK for visiting family and claimed 90% of. It is apparent that you justify the claiming of those expenses by asserting that you are entitled to it in the same way that Helen Clark and Jim Bolger (former Prime Ministers) are entitled to claim for international travel expenses.

Alongside most New Zealanders I cannot claim to understand or know the ins and outs of what you, as a former and current MP, are entitled to claim, but it seems a gross injustice that an MP who has long advocated cutting government spending and enforcing a user pays system that puts less burden on the tax-payer would not then practice what he preaches. It seems that you endorse a user pays system as long as it is not you doing the paying. That injustice is only heightened when other government employees are losing their jobs and our current financial times begin to truly bite for the average New Zealand citizen with our economy shedding jobs at an alarming rate and many Kiwis struggling to find work.

I am not a person who would advocate for the cutting of all MP expenses. I understand that MP’s need certain things covered to adequately do their jobs – accommodation, some travel (including international travel to promote New Zealand and work on international relations) and many other things, but allow me to remind you that as an elected member of parliament – both current and former – you are a servant of the people, not someone who is to be served by the people.

In our current economic climate we need people to demonstrate a strong example of fiscal responsibility. Just as most New Zealanders should be taught and are expected to work hard and save hard for personal international trips, even when visiting family, so MP’s should demonstrate that example and ease the stress on government revenue by “tightening up”.

It may well be your legal entitlement to claim on personal international travel, but your legal entitlement may not be best for the country. May I ask you and all current and former MP’s of our wonderful country – people who have given in service to this great nation – to carefully consider what is necessary at this time and to undertake what is desperately needed of our MP’s. I ask you to embody and live what it means to be a public servant, someone clearly mindful of serving the good of the country no matter what your entitlements. If it means giving up on some of those entitlements then please do so – you won’t hurt your image at all by pursuing such a course of action.

I ask you to lay aside your personal desires and live the ACT value of government fiscal responsibility. Demonstrate to the citizens of New Zealand, a people who have fallen into the trap of too often living beyond our means, what it means to use our money wisely. Serve the nation by leading the way as an MP in this area.

I trust that you will graciously consider this encouragement and as you do so, I commit to praying that you and all of our other current elected members of parliament will be given guidance in these tough economic times.

May a stable future be forged and may we as a country use these times to learn that our people matter more than our money. May we learn what it means to live simply and within our means. In doing so, may we discover the richness of human relationships and may we discover that the true joys in life cannot be found in what we can buy, but in how we can demonstrate love to our neighour, especially when our neighbour is hurting. May we learn to be there for one another in both the celebrations and times of mourning.

Yours gratefully,
Pastor Frank Ritchie