Trevor Mallard

Wellington, April 7 NZPA - Tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars are funding legal defences for MPs, it was reported today.

The New Zealand Herald said when MPs were sued defence costs were paid using taxpayer money and it did not have to be made public because the funding did not come under the Official Information Act.

Labour MP Trevor Mallard says that should change and there is no need for the secrecy.

National's Nick Smith is fighting a defamation case against him by timber preservative company Osmose. Dr Smith said the legal costs totalled about $270,000, but would not confirm how much was taxpayer funded.

Prime Minister John Key said he believed as Dr Smith's case, which related to comments he made as Opposition building spokesman, met the necessary test and both former Speaker Margaret Wilson and present Speaker Lockwood Smith had agreed.

The newspaper said it had leaked papers showing National MP Gerry Brownlee had asked for up to $48,000 for a civil assault case taken against him by environment activist Neil Abel in 1999.

Yesterday he said the request was refused and acknowledged his case was "not appropriate" for using taxpayers' money.

Until a 2001 rule change MPs paid their legal bills but now can be reimbursed in some cases.