Cabinet minister caught redhanded.

**Ixion** · 26th February 2010, 18:00

The sums involved are, for the most part, small, if not trivial.

I have a work credit card. I have occasionally accidentally (genuinely) charged personal items to it. It's never been a drama, a note to finance, the nice chicky sorts it all out, I give her a cheque. And providing one is reasonable, both as to frequency and value, an occasional creativity as to what a work expense is overlooked. There has to be *some* work connection, of course.

As to be BK burger - given that this was an "on duty" lunch, and thus legitimately chargeable to work expenses, should we not rather applaud his frugality - he *could* have gone to the most expensive restaurant in town.

Certainly I cannot see any practical reason why he should resign, other than perhaps as a recognition of the pubic opprobrium, justified or not.. A mild rap over the knuckles, no more.

**avgas** · 26th February 2010, 18:16

Could be worse........I am not sure how - but I am sure that in future years to come we will find out. Regardless of if its Nats or Labour......we will find out

**rainman** · 26th February 2010, 19:48

Originally Posted by Winston001

The NZ Government is borrowing $250 million a week to keep us in the style to which we have become accustomed. That is a real issue worth worrying about.

Yup, but that's too scary to think about properly...

Originally Posted by Winston001

Ngaire Wood. She points out that in the UK people are (rightly) screaming about moats being cleaned - but completely ignoring the ginormous bonuses being paid by banks. Banks which only survived because the taxpayer bailed them out!!

Maybe the sums of money in the big expenditure are too difficult for us to comprehend whereas $123 for a meal is easy to pick on. I don't know.

Perhaps the same reason - we're too scared to actually think this stuff all the way through...

Originally Posted by Ixion

The sums involved are, for the most part, small, if not trivial.

I have a work credit card. I have occasionally accidentally (genuinely) charged personal items to it. It's never been a drama, a note to finance, the nice chicky sorts it all out, I give her a cheque. And providing one is reasonable, both as to frequency and value, an occasional creativity as to what a work expense is overlooked. There has to be *some* work connection, of course.

As to be BK burger - given that this was an "on duty" lunch, and thus legitimately chargeable to work expenses, should we not rather applaud his frugality - he *could* have gone to the most expensive restaurant in town.

Certainly I cannot see any practical reason why he should resign, other than perhaps as a recognition of the pubic opprobrium, justified or not.. A mild rap over the knuckles, no more.

You are most fortunate. When I had a work credit card the accounting trolls were most... unaccommodating.

Agree as to the BK thing - I'd certainly applaud his frugality. Would that more of 'em did it. I suspect there's much more to this that meets the eye. Perhaps he was struggling with the stresses of office and wanted out? Certainly seems to have been a maverick action rather than Key showing manly leadership or anything.

**Oscar** · 26th February 2010, 19:55

Originally Posted by Mudfart

So he resigns from cabinet, and gives the comment he will have to spend many years on the back benches. Oh you poor bastard. If I got caught stealing from my employer, I would be sacked, find it really hard to ever get another job, and face criminal charges. Even if it was $20.
I call for dismissal of disgraced MP's. Isn't it logical? Because they make the laws, they are above them?

Er - he used his "company" credit card for personal use.
Happens all the time in the real world, and as long as the money is repaid nothing is said.
The fact is, in NZ post-Labour Party social engineering, your employer would get hammered in the employment court if they sacked you for what he did.

**Bikemad** · 26th February 2010, 20:04

Originally Posted by Oscar

Er - he used his "company" credit card for personal use.
Happens all the time in the real world, and as long as the money is repaid nothing is said.
The fact is, in NZ post-Labour Party social engineering, your employer would get hammered in the employment court if they sacked you for what he did.

er.....he earns 100k plus a year...........im sure he has his own CC........or perhaps he carries his personal CC in a different wallet...........

**Oscar** · 26th February 2010, 20:07

Originally Posted by Bikemad

er.....he earns 100k plus a year...........im sure he has his own CC........or perhaps he carries his personal CC in a different wallet...........

You know this how?
I carry all my credit cards in the same wallet (2 x Petrol Cards, 1 Comapny Amex and my own Visa in the same wallet).
As Ixion says, using the wrong card by accident is not unkown in the Business World.

**Mully** · 26th February 2010, 20:08

I once got in trouble for "Texting a park" on my company phone when I went into the City one Saturday afternoon.

They ignored the fact that I was in the City on a Saturday afternoon because I was going into the office to fix someone else's fuck-up.

**Bikemad** · 26th February 2010, 20:13

Originally Posted by Oscar

You know this how?
I carry all my credit cards in the same wallet (2 x Petrol Cards, 1 Comapny Amex and my own Visa in the same wallet).
As Ixion says, using the wrong card by accident is not unkown in the Business World.

because an MPs base salary is over a 100k...........as for using the wrong CC "by accident".....do you really want some idiot,who cant even recognise his own CC,running the countrys affairs........

**Oscar** · 26th February 2010, 20:16

Originally Posted by Bikemad

because an MPs base salary is over a 100k...........as for using the wrong CC "by accident".....do you really want some idiot,who cant even recognise his own CC,running the countrys affairs........

We had one that couldn't recognise a painting that wasn't hers, and she got away with it.

**Bikemad** · 26th February 2010, 20:18

dont get me started dude...................

**Oscar** · 26th February 2010, 20:19

Originally Posted by Bikemad

dont get me started dude...................

Go on - you know you want too - unleash your inner curmudgeon!

**Bikemad** · 26th February 2010, 20:23

nah...lifes too short to really worry bout those fuckers mate...............theres gonna be pricks like them here rippin off my grandkids long after im gone..........

**mashman** · 26th February 2010, 22:25

Originally Posted by Winston001

Agreed, I was a bit off-topic, referring to Flybuys and Airpoints which I think are trivial. Good luck to anyone who has to travel and gets some points.

But yes, we should expect our leaders to be responsible with their personal expenses but lets not be over-zealous. I'm just reading a Listener article about a Kiwi Oxford professor, Ngaire Wood. She points out that in the UK people are (rightly) screaming about moats being cleaned - but completely ignoring the ginormous bonuses being paid by banks. Banks which only survived because the taxpayer bailed them out!!

Maybe the sums of money in the big expenditure are too difficult for us to comprehend whereas $123 for a meal is easy to pick on. I don't know.

Oh - and yes, as a backbencher his salary will reduce.

I'm more than happy with these guys getting their flybuys etc... they're doing the travelling...

I don't think it's a case of witch hunting... the guy has been wrapped on the knuckles for it before, if they're the rules, they're the rules... different companies treat cc usage in different ways... When i was over there i caught the tail end of it... one guy claimed to fix the chimney on his stately home... paid to get their lawns mowed (lazy bastards)... dog food... all sorts of goodies... the devil is always in the detail ain't it...

Heh, there was this banker i saw on the news... CEO Royal Bank of Scotland... lost 24 billion pounds... resigned/sacked... pension 671,000 pounds a year... there's certainly something wrong there... yet in the UK the interest rate for mortgages is at least as low as 0.35%... what are we? 5% tops... exchange rate of, let's be generous 3 bucks - pound... I agree the bailout has gone to those who need it (I read today that Switzerland nearly went bust... yes SWITZERLAND... i'll dig it out if anyone cares...), the bankers... and the reason that's given, or the reason I hear time and time again... we can't lose their experience (bunch of gamblers)... well if it's that bad, get them the fuck out of their job because they're shite at it... Oddly enough some of them go into politics...

I'm sure he'll be able to offset that on his credit card

**Winston001** · 26th February 2010, 22:50

Just to balance things, when Don Brash was Leader of the Opposition, he flew economy class and did his own laundry in his hotel room. When this was revealed, was he admired? Lauded for his frugal ways? No. The journalists laughed at him and took no further interest. So being careful and prudent with tax-payers money doesn't earn any admiration. Why bother?