Nick Mills: National MP Tim Costley is taking taxpayers for a ride

OPINION

Here's a story you're not going to enjoy if you're one of the government employees who has just been made redundant.

It surrounds Otaki MP Tim Costley.

He’s a known name in Kapiti, and owns a $1.4 million riverside home in Waikanae, two rental properties in Palmerston North and a flat in Wellington.

It's the latter of those properties that's causing Tim a bit of a headache.

It turns out Tim is claiming $36,400 a year from a Parliamentary housing allowance to rent his own apartment back to himself, despite his family home being just 58km away from the Beehive. 

He lives in Waikanae, but even with Transmission Gully, a 40-minute drive is too much of a commute for him.

Yes, it's entirely within the rules, but the rules are dumb.

It's not a long drive, even after a very late night in Parliament (which doesn't happen that often). I'm sure he could suck it up. Parliament sits 90 days a year.

He’s clearly learned from his leader. Remember Christopher Luxon claimed $52,000 for his mortgage-free apartment in the city, even though as Prime Minister he was entitled to live at Premier House on Tinakori Rd?

He chose not to live there because it wasn't quite up to his standards, but later U-turned on pocketing the allowance.

But Costly Costley, well he's a first-term MP.

He said like many MPs he owns an apartment in Wellington and taking the allowance is within the rules set by the speaker.  

Costly Costley said it works out about the same as it does for MPs who stay at hotels. He believes the safest and most sustainable way for him to function as an MP is to stay in Wellington when the house is sitting.

He says junior MPs like him are required to stay on the precinct until at least 10pm and are often there later when the house is in urgency, which is very rare I should add.

He’s required to be back at Parliament for early meetings at 7:30 and 8:30am, he says. 

Come on Costley. How many people living in Waikanae have to commute every day?

I agree that would be tough for those very few times that you're driving home at midnight, but surely you don't need a place at a cost of $36,400 a year? 

What happened to MPs flatting with each other? 

MPs are entitled to claim $36,400 if their main residence is outside the Wellington commuting area, but the rules don't specify a minimum distance.

I say Waikanae is definitely within the minimum distance.

The Inland Revenue defines a reasonable commuting distance as between 50 and 80 kilometres for each leg of a journey, or between 100 and 160 kilometres taking both legs into account. 

That's a lot of travel, but its well above what Costley has to travel. The reality is he could very easily commute.

And here’s another kicker just to get you more frustrated, Costly Costley has also claimed nearly $15,000 in travel costs in just the last three months.

This is a man who lives just up the road and is not a Minister. He should be spending $1000 a month, if that. Where is he going?

Maybe this government needs to look at its own MPs when it comes to cost cutting.

Don't get me started on that. I've always felt we have too many MPs. Tim Costly Costley wouldn't be costing us quite so much if he wasn't there.

He's a backbencher without any portfolios.

Perhaps he should start behaving like one. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
At b Here's the story that you may be going
to enjoy. That's if you're not one of the people
the government that's made redundant O TACKI MP Tim Costley,
he was on the show with Adam Cooper last week.
He's a well known name in Capity. By the way,
he owns a one point four million dollar Riverside home
and why can I? Two rental properties and Parmeerston North

(00:34):
and a flatt and Wellington. Hasn't he done well following
under the footsteps of the great Leader? His great leader
five prop was that one two three four properties and
he looks only about I don't know, forties, very young.
Well Tim is claiming thirty six thousand dollars a year
from parliamentary housing allowance for his own apartment, despite his

(00:58):
family home being just fifty eight kilometers away from Parliament.
He lives in Why can I But even with Transmission
Gully it's too much of a communic commute for him,
So we're paying him thirty six thousand dollars so he
can live in his Wellington apartment. Think about that. He's
just well, he thinks he is too important to drive home. Yes,

(01:21):
it's entirely within the rules, but the rules are done.
It's not a long drive, even after a late night
at Parliament, which doesn't happen that often. I'm sure he
could suck it up. He's an ex Air Force pilot.
Put your flash car and auto pilot and drive home.
He's clearly learnt from his leader. Remember Christopher Luxen was

(01:42):
claiming fifty two thousand dollars for his mortgage free apartment
in the city, even though as Prime Minister he was
entitled delivered the official residence, Premier House on Tenegory Road.
Wasn't good enough for him. Didn't like it, just wasn't
up to his standards Premier House, so he wanted to
live in his own apartment. Must be a nice apartment.
But back to Costly Costly get the pun. Costly Costly.

(02:05):
He's first term MP and like many MPs, he owns
an apartment in Wellington talking saying taking the allowance is
just within the rules set by the speaker. Costly Costly
said it works out about the same as it would
for MPs who stay at hotels. He believes it's the
safest and most sustainable way for him to function as

(02:26):
an MP is to stay in Wellington wind House when
the house is sitting costly, costly, was in the X
Air Force pil and I'm sure he could suck it
up and drive home, he says. He says as a
junior MP is required to stay on the precinct until
at least ten PM, and often is there later after
midnight of urgency, which I think would be quite rare.

(02:48):
I'll add that he's required back at Parliament for early
meetings at seven thirty and eight thirty. We'll actually make
your meetings a bit later. Come in in eight o'clock.
Come on, costly, costly? How many people living? And why
can I have to commute each day for big jobs too? Yes,
I agree it would be tough on those very few
times that you'd have to do that late night early

(03:09):
morning shift, but surely you don't need a place at
a cost of thirty four thousand, thirty six thousand, four
hundred a year. MPs are entitled to claim thirty six thousand,
four hundred of their main residents outside the Wellington communating
commuting area, but the rules don't specify a minimum distance,
I say, why can I? It is definitely within the

(03:30):
minimum distance. Just foil for some clearance an idea here then,
and Revenue defines a reasonable commute distance as between fifty
and eighty kilometers for each leg of a journey, or
between one hundred one hundred and sixty k taking both
legs into account per day. That is a lot of travel.
I give you that, But they don't come into Parliament

(03:52):
every day. What that's about? What Costly has to travel?
He can easily communate commute, couldn't they. I don't see
this is a big deal. I mean, I see this
as a big deal, but I don't see it as
him being able to take it that thirty six grand begot.
You know, he shouldn't be able to do that. And
here's just another kicker if you're a little bit frustrated

(04:13):
by this Costly Costly also claimed fifteen thousand in travel
costs in just three months. Yep, five k a month
travel costs. This is a man who lives just up
the road, is not a minister. He has no portfolios
and he should be spending one thousand a month If that,

(04:34):
where is he going? If he's got an apartment in
town wise. He driving home all the time. Maybe this
government needs to look within its own MPs to start
the cost cutting. Don't get me started on that. I've
always felt we have too many MPs and tim costly
costly could be been costing us quite a bit less
if he wasn't there. He's a backbunk bencher without a portfolio.

(04:55):
Perhaps he should start behaving like one.

Speaker 1 (04:58):
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