The Green Party's Chloe Swarbrick has admitted she feels "pretty gross" about the amount politicians are paid.
When asked by a Facebook user if she thought politicians are overpaid, the 23-year-old was extremely honest in her opinion.
"Since certain reforms in the 1980s what we have seen is this massive divergence where politicians have been looking after themselves," she told RE:, TVNZ's socially-driven alternative news brand.
"I think politicians in regard to the rest of society are overpaid and I feel pretty gross about it," Ms Swarbrick said.
The Green Party MP did defend her $160,000 salary to a degree though, saying it's also important to realise the job can be a pretty expensive one.
"With all the travel I have recently done you don't get to go home and cook, you finish work at 10 or 11 at night then you have to go out and find some food," she said.
Ms Swarbrick says she also likes to support the local community by spending some of her earnings at school fairs, while also helping out family with their finances.
She says part of the weird and gross feeling about her wages comes from knowing there is such inequality in New Zealand, with people living on the streets while others are in a far more privileged position.
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