Accommodation allowance rules for Opportunity MPs
Pitched as holding its own MPs to a higher standard, TOP says any Opportunity MPs would spend parliamentary accommodation and office allowances only on genuine rent paid to unrelated parties, and the party would push for a review of MPs' entitlements.
📋 TOP: MPs accommodation allowance policy, June 2026 →
What it does
- Requires Opportunity MPs to use their accommodation allowances to meet actual and reasonable accommodation costs, paid to an unrelated third party.
- Bars Opportunity MPs from using parliamentary funds to rent or lease any property in which the MP, the party or its major donors have an interest, including electorate office space.
- In practice, TOP says, its MPs living outside Wellington would rent accommodation in the capital rather than use the allowance on homes they own.
- If elected, the party would seek a full review of MPs' allowances and entitlements, including those available to former MPs and their spouses.
- The pledge followed renewed scrutiny of MPs claiming taxpayer-funded accommodation allowances for properties they own.
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Key milestones
Allowance pledge announced
TOP said that if elected its MPs would not use taxpayer-funded allowances to build private property wealth, would pay accommodation costs only to unrelated third parties, and that the party would seek a full review of MPs' allowances and entitlements.