The Opportunity Party says its MPs will not use taxpayer-funded accommodation or office allowances to build private property wealth if elected to Parliament.
Party leader Qiulae Wong says public money should support public service, not help MPs pay mortgages, grow property portfolios, or channel taxpayer funds back to political parties or donors.
Under the policy, Opportunity MPs would only use relevant allowances for actual and reasonable accommodation costs paid to an unrelated third party. They would also be banned from using parliamentary funds to rent or lease property connected to the MP, the party, or major donors.
The policy would mean Opportunity MPs living outside Wellington would rent accommodation while serving in the capital, rather than using taxpayer allowances to cover costs on properties they own.
The party says the same principle would apply to electorate offices, ensuring public money does not contribute to private property wealth for MPs, the party, or donors.
The move follows renewed scrutiny of MPs claiming taxpayer-funded accommodation allowances while staying in properties they own, including cases where MPs have claimed tens of thousands of dollars a year while living in their own Wellington apartments.
Opportunity says it will also seek a full review of MPs’ allowances and entitlements, including those available to former MPs and their spouses.
Wong says the policy is consistent with the party’s wider Land Value Tax approach, which aims to shift New Zealand away from over-investment in property and towards a more productive economy.
The party says the commitment is about rebuilding public trust and setting a higher standard for transparency and fairness in Parliament.
