Winston Peters still has VIP car
WHEN IT'S over, it's time to say goodbye. But Winston Peters' attachment to his government-issued car endures.
The ex-MP's ministerial car, a 2005 Ford Territory SUV, is still parked outside his home in Auckland's St Mary's Bay.
The car has a "VIP" sticker in its window and appears to be in use.
Internal Affairs confirmed his was the only car not returned by ministers ousted in last November's election.
Act leader Rodney Hide was outraged Peters still had the car three months after being voted out of parliament. He said the police should be called to recover the vehicle.
"This has never happened before. MPs from all parties have respect for the taxpayer. Winston Peters it's always been about him, and he thinks everyone owes him a living."
Peters was irritated yesterday at fielding questions about the car, after its presence was flagged on blog sites.
"First of all, start off with a fact and not a tissue of lies as well, on your first question," he told the Sunday Star-Times before adding: "Now don't be a numbskull. If you want to believe a whole lot of blog sites and Rodney Hide, and every other twit in town, go right ahead. Stop indulging in lies and stop wasting my time." He then hung up.
Peters officially lost his right to the car when he was voted out of government. It is supposed to be back with Internal Affairs officials to be allocated to another minister or sold.
A department spokesman said Peters had been overseas, and had been talking about buying the car but now wasn't which had delayed arrangements for its return. He said the department would send a VIP driver to Auckland with another driver to bring the car back to Wellington.
"He has given the car back, it's simply a question of us arranging to collect it at a time when someone's able to give us the keys."
He didn't know if Peters was driving the car at taxpayers' expense. "We wouldn't have expected any significant use of vehicles in this time. We don't think any use is likely to affect the value or is likely to be very significant."
Peters would be responsible for any petrol costs unless the car had been used for official purposes such as moving property from a ministerial office or driving the car to return it.
He said there was no particular date for returning cars, and agreements were "all on the basis of being reasonable".
The car would probably be sold because it had been driven a lot.
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