Parliamentary Service says a claim by Labour MP Gaurav Sharma of misuse of tax payers' money involving an MP and a staff member was actually "normal practice" and for parliamentary business.
Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said the issue was raised with Parliamentary Service last year.
"It related to a Wellington-based staff member travelling to a member’s electorate office for the purpose of team building and assisting the wider team.
"This is normal practice for many members when establishing a new team which has staff dispersed in different regions."
Gonzalez-Montero said Parliamentary Service determined the expense was for parliamentary business, "and so allowed by the Speaker’s Directions, which are the rules that guide expenditure by members".
Sharma alleged to RNZ that he was bullied as a result of the complaint, after raising it with Parliamentary Service last year.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told Breakfast on Monday morning the matter was "investigated … and not upheld".
On Thursday last week, the first-term MP for Hamilton West launched a broadside against what he alleged was a bullying and gaslighting culture within Parliament. On Friday, the MP published a 2600-word Facebook post detailing more grievances and other allegations about his time in Parliament. The Labour Party has repeatedly disputed and rejected the allegations levelled by Sharma.
Speaking about the Gaurav Sharma saga Jacinda Ardern said “there will from time-to-time be disagreements”. (Source: Breakfast)
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