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Extra costs for taxpayers so PM can spend more time with baby

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 3 Sep 2018, 2:06PM
Jacinda Ardern will be flying to Nauru separate from the rest of the contingent and her baby. Photo / NZ Herald

Extra costs for taxpayers so PM can spend more time with baby

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 3 Sep 2018, 2:06PM

The cost of having a baby when you are the Prime Minister will weigh heavily on the taxpayer this week - around up to $50,000. 

Newstalk ZB Political editor Barry Soper told Andrew Dickens the RNZAF VIP jet will fly back from Nauru to pick up Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday to take her to the Pacific Islands Forum.

Ardern's cut short her time at the forum because to take her baby would have required giving her a number of vaccinations.

The media contingent left the country this morning with Foreign Minister Winston Peters on the same jet, and it will return and collect Ardern on a separate trip. 

Based on fuel prices from two years ago - the cost to fly the jet to and from Nauru would be near $50,000, but in the past year, fuel's risen by 20 percent.

Ardern will miss tonight's opening ceremony and tomorrow's formal dialogue - but will get to the leaders' retreat on Wednesday and attend a banquet before flying out at close to midnight.

The Forum's opening ceremony is tonight, but Ardern will only attend the leaders' meeting in what will be a brief trip for her, meaning she will only be away from baby Neve for about 36 hours.

LISTEN ABOVE AS BARRY SOPER SPEAKS TO ANDREW DICKENS

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