This determination, which is deemed to have come into force on 15 October 2023, amends the Members of Parliament (Former Prime Ministers Travel Services) Determination 2017 (the principal determination).

The principal determination sets out the entitlements of former Prime Ministers and their spouses or partners to travel services within New Zealand. These include the provision of a self-drive car and associated maintenance and fuel costs (see clause 9 of the principal determination). Travel services under the principal determination are funded by Vote Internal Affairs.

Clause 13 of the principal determination is designed to prevent double-dipping by prohibiting the provision of travel services to a former Prime Minister who holds an office for which a salary (other than the salary of an ordinary member of Parliament) is payable under the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Act 2013 or the Governor-General Act 2010 (an office-holding former Prime Minister). In that situation, the office-holding former Prime Minister may instead be entitled to travel services funded by Vote Parliamentary Service as set out in the Speaker’s Directions 2023 (the Directions). Clause 12 of the Directions entitles the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, and the Leader of the Opposition to be provided with a car for their use.

This determination inserts new clause 13(2) into the principal determination to create an exception from the general prohibition on the provision of travel services to an office-holding former Prime Minister. The exception allows a person who is in this position to be provided with a self-drive car, and the associated maintenance and fuel costs of the car, in accordance with clause 9 of the principal determination, despite that general prohibition. It will enable an office-holding former Prime Minister to be provided with a self-drive car under the principal determination, instead of being provided with a car under the Directions. Clause 9 of the Directions ensures that the inclusion of this exception will not enable double-dipping, because it provides that travel services funding under the Directions is not available for domestic travel services that may be funded by Vote Internal Affairs.

The amendment in this determination was made at the request of the Parliamentary Service and approved by the Remuneration Authority after consultation with both the Parliamentary Service and the Department of Internal Affairs’ Ministerial Services team.