Rules on parliamentary sick leave

Righto. Chris Carter wants two weeks months sick leave and is applying to the speakers office to do so.Fair enough, he's sought medical advice, but, unlike the plebs, he doesn't have to supply a sick note.Parties can only give 14 sitting days sick leave - that's just over four and a half weeks. Carter can get more sick leave if he applies to the speakers office. He could get about three and a half weeks to make up the two months.

If it is not granted, Carter could lose $10 a day off his pay. At a salary of $145,000 that's about 10 minutes pay per day. The most he can lose is $150 off his pay ( at a maximum of $30 per week as there are three sitting days each week).

Does that mean that he can take sick leave on practically full pay even if the speaker doesn't grant it? If so, why, when the rest of us have to take annual leave when sick leave runs out.

Oh and Chris Carter has got some supporters who have a blog now. Nice, too, apart from the spelling.At least they got rid of the " hello world" post.Finally.

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Chris Carter has been suspended from the Labour Party caucus

updated
Chris Carter has been suspended from the Labour Party caucus after admitting to sending an anonymous letter claiming there is a plot to overthrow leader Phil Goff.

There isn't.

You can read the letter here.

This letter was reported earlier today, before Carter's name became public. The letter also says Manurewa MP George Hawkins is being challenged by a union member for nomination, understood to be a EPMU member, and is threatening a by-election.

"There are no more chances. His future in the Labour Party is at an end," Goff said.

Goff said he recognised Mr Carter's handwriting on the envelope of the anonymous letter addressed, as I recall, to Vernon Small at the Press Gallery.( update: it was sent to other media outlets also). Carter may be expelled from the party as early as next weekend and nominations will be reopened for the Te Atatu electorate - of which Carter's partner, Peter Kaiser, is the electorate chair.

Of course, Carter can stay on as an independent, or resign and force a by-election. Either way, it's a sad day for the Labour caucus, but they'll bounce back.

Chris Carter, I guess, is wishing that Helen Clark was still the leader of the Labour Party. The rest of the caucus are supportive of the current leadership.

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Carter plays the gay card

The Herald notes that Chris Carter thinks he has been unfairly treated by the media over travel expenses because he is gay.

Why didn't Edward Gay write the story? He was already on the case.

Carter's spending was twice as much as the average Labour cabinet minister, included $83,000 on international travel, $83,000 travelling in limos, taxis and rental cars, $23,000 on domestic air fares and about $20,000 on accommodation. That was after he stopped being the minister

He was the education minister - now he is the opposition spokesperson for overseas travel.

Lets look at some other facts.
He has also been cautioned by colleagues over recent years to cut down on his overseas travel.

He is the only opposition MP to have spent more than $80,000 taking his spouse on international travel and he hasn't even got a spouse.

He defended his costs by focusing only on trips he took as a minister. He is not a minister now but is still a high spender.

Carter want to China -but as WhaleOil notes, went via Bangkok. We all know that one night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble.

Carter's partner is a school principal. Did Carter plan his trips around the school holidays so his partner could go - and for longer?

Some of the people he met this year are detailed on his website. Top of his UK list was Ben Bradshaw. He's a good friend of Carter's.He's gay and in a civil partnership too.Is that why they met? What are the saunas like in the the UK?

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