Gordon Campbell has a technological answer to the problem of unauthorised Ministerial spending:
To prevent misuse of company cards in the private sector, US firms routinely use a service that Visa and some other card holders have offered for years – namely, Merchant Category Codes (or MCC).
These codes entail a four digit number that automatically refuses to accept certain categories of spending, or spending in certain locations.
This subject came up over dinner with one MP a few months ago and he suggested a simpler solution: that all Ministerial credit cards issued have a picture of Duncan Garner’s face printed on them. We agreed that would be a far more effective deterrent than any improvement in process or oversight committee.
Discussion with my partner about Shane Jones:
Me: How hard is it to use the right card? You can even get customised pictures put on them!
Him: I dunno, maybe your personal one is maxed out for that moment, so you reach for the other card and pay it back later. He did pay it back later anyway. Or maybe he just pulled out any card in a hurry.
Me: You’d think if you were an MP you would look carefully at which card you were using before, y’know, paying for PORN.
Him: Well he probably was careful the 800 other times he did it!
Me:…………………………….Boys are gross.
Comment by Zo Zhou — June 14, 2010 @ 10:56 am
Wifey might see the personal cc statement.
Not much chance of wifey seeing ministerial cc statements.
Simple.
Comment by peterlepaysan — June 14, 2010 @ 8:12 pm
uh, given that it was part of the hotel bill, odds are that he didn’t consider asking for it to be split off. As opposed to deciding to pay for porn, as a purchase, on his ministerial credit card.
Also, from what’s been said in various news reports, the invoices say “pay-per-view movie” or similar, not “Shaving Ryan’s Privates” or “When Harry Banged Sally”.
Comment by Matt — June 15, 2010 @ 4:46 pm