So, it turns out that National MP Claudette Hauiti hired her partner as her electorate secretary. Her excuse? She didn't know it was wrong:
A National MP has broken Parliament's rules by employing her civil union spouse in her electorate office.
List MP Claudette Hauiti's wife, Nadine Mau, was employed as an issues assistant in Hauiti's electorate office in Auckland from April 7 until last Wednesday when she was sacked.
Under direction from Speaker David Carter [see 4.10(4) - I/S], MPs are not allowed to employ their spouse or partner, either in or outside Parliament.
Hauiti said she was unaware of the prohibition on employing spouses when she contracted her wife to work in her office.
[Link added]
And if you believe that, I have a round building in Wellington to sell you. Quite apart from being a no-no in practically any workplace in the world, this rule is one of the fundamentals. Its right there in the Speaker's Directions, and I'd expect it to be highlighted prominently in both induction material and in any guidance MPs get when employing people. So Hauiti is either lying, or she ignored all the guidance she was given, demonstrating that she is too stupid to be an MP. Either way, there should be no place in our Parliament for an MP who corruptly enriches themselves in this manner.
