Thomas Coughlan: MPs’ accommodation claims are a rort, here’s how they should be changed

PremiumOpinionOpinion byThomas CoughlanPolitical Editor·NZ Herald·5 Jun, 2026 05:00 PM9 mins to readThomas Coughlan, Political Editor at the New Zealand Herald, loves applying a political lens to people's stories and explaining the way things like transport and finance touch our lives. ‌Thomas Coughlan says it's time for MPs to reform the expenses system. Photo / File THE FACTSMPs accommodation claims have been in the media after changes to accommodation support.Ministers can claim $1000 a week for their Wellington accommodation, if they are not already resident in the city. A regular MP can claim just over $36,000. Once upon a time, the idea MPs should be compensated for their troubles was a radical and progressive idea.

Among the six core demands of the Chartist movement, which tore through Britain in the mid-19th century, was that MPs be reasonably paid for their troubles. This sat