Parliament Act 2025

Salaries, allowances, expenses, and services for members and others - Principles applying to determining and using expenses and services

70: Principles applicable to use of authorised funding and services by members and eligible candidates

You could also call this:

"Rules for using public money and services as a MP or candidate"

When you are a member of Parliament or an eligible candidate, there are rules to follow when using authorised funding and services. You can be paid for or reimbursed for expenses or services that are allowed. You do not have to pay for these expenses yourself. You are responsible for using authorised funding and services in a way that is consistent with the rules. You must use certain expenses and services only for specific purposes, as outlined in section 63(3). You are also responsible for how others use authorised funding and services on your behalf. You must be open and transparent in your use of authorised funding and services. You have to keep proper records and follow the correct processes. You must also disclose any conflicts of interest and be careful with public funds. When making decisions about using authorised funding and services, you must consider whether it is an efficient use of public funds. You should choose the most cost-effective option that is reasonably possible. You must exercise financial prudence and be responsible with public money.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS804052.

This page was last updated on 25 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Government and voting > Government departmentsMoney and consumer rights > Taxes

69: Principles applicable to making determinations, or

"Rules for making fair decisions about politicians' pay and services"

71: Remuneration Authority to determine salaries and allowances, or

"Who decides how much MPs get paid?"

Part 4Salaries, allowances, expenses, and services for members and others
Principles applying to determining and using expenses and services

70Principles applicable to use of authorised funding and services by members and eligible candidates

The principles in this section apply when a member (including a Minister) or an eligible candidate receives or uses authorised funding and services.
A member or an eligible candidate may be paid for, or reimbursed for the cost of, an expense or a service that is authorised funding and services.
A member or an eligible candidate is not expected to personally meet the cost of an expense or a service that is authorised funding and services.
A member or an eligible candidate is personally responsible for using authorised funding and services in a way that is consistent with the determination under which the funding or services are provided.
A member or an eligible candidate is personally responsible for ensuring that those expenses and services that are specified in section 63(3) are used only to the extent that they are for 1 or more of the purposes specified in section 63(1)(b).
A member or an eligible candidate is personally responsible for the way in which a person acting under the member’s or the eligible candidate’s authority uses authorised funding and services.
A member or an eligible candidate must be open and transparent in their use of authorised funding and services.
To this end, a member or an eligible candidate must—
disclose any conflict of interest relating to their use of authorised funding and services, including a conflict that is pecuniary, personal, or related to family or association:
to facilitate scrutiny, keep full and proper records of the authorised funding and services they use:
correctly follow any prescribed or required processes relating to using authorised funding and services:
if requested to do so by the chief executive, disclose the reasons for and circumstances relating to their use of authorised funding and services.

A member or an eligible candidate must exercise financial prudence in relation to the use of authorised funding and services.
If making a decision about the use of authorised funding and services, a member or an eligible candidate must—
consider whether the use of authorised funding and services is an efficient and effective use of public funds; and
if proceeding with the use of authorised funding and services, select the most cost-effective option that is reasonably practicable.