
$3,155,600
13 years tracked
$1,828,169
13 years of data
$327,469
2 years of data
Nicolas Rex Smith (born 24 December 1964) is a New Zealand politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the National Party from 1990 to 2021. He served as a Cabinet minister, holding various posts including Minister for Building and Housing, Minister for the Environment, Minister for Climate Change Issues, and Minister of Local Government. For a brief time between October and November 2003 he was the deputy leader of the National Party, then in opposition under Don Brash. Smith represented the Nelson electorate from 1996 to 2020 and, before that, was the member for Tasman from 1990 to 1996. Following his defeat in the Nelson electorate in the 2020 election, he served as a list MP for less than a year before retiring from parliament on 10 June 2021 after multiple allegations of bullying were made against him. Smith was elected Mayor of Nelson in the October 2022 New Zealand local elections.
| Year | Primary Role | Salary Category | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Ordinary MP | Ordinary MP | $168,400 |
| 2020 | Ordinary MP | Ordinary MP | $180,400 |
| 2019 | Ordinary MP | Ordinary MP | $176,900 |
| 2018 | Ordinary MP | Ordinary MP |
| $168,900 |
| 2017 | Minister for Building and Housing | Minister (Cabinet) | $302,000(highest) |
| 2016 | Minister for Building and Housing | Minister (Cabinet) | $295,000 |
| 2015 | Minister for Building and Housing | Minister (Cabinet) | $289,000 |
| 2014 | Minister for the Environment, Housing | Minister (Cabinet) | $278,000 |
| 2013 | Minister for the Environment, Housing | Minister (Cabinet) | $272,000 |
| 2012 | Minister for the Environment | Minister (Cabinet) | $267,000 |
| 2011 | Minister for the Environment | Minister (Cabinet) | $262,000 |
| 2010 | Minister for ACC, Climate Change Issues | Minister (Cabinet) | $248,000 |
| 2009 | Minister for ACC, Climate Change Issues | Minister (Cabinet) | $248,000 |
| Total Career Earnings (13 years) | $3,155,600 | ||
Salary data from Remuneration Authority. Annual salary based on highest-paid role held during the year.
| Year | Council | Role | Ward | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | Nelson City Council | Mayor(current) | - | $172,013(highest) |
| FY2025 | Nelson City Council | Mayor(current) | - | $155,456 |
| Total Career Earnings (2 years) | $327,469 | |||
Salary data from Remuneration Authority via NZ Taxpayers' Union analysis. Mayor/Chair salaries are individual; councillor salaries marked "(avg)" are council averages as individual councillor pay is not itemized.
| Year | Role | Accommodation | Travel | Inter-Parl. | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington | Other | Air | Surface | VIP | ||||
| 2021 | MP | $22,422 | - | $18,699 | $13,382 | - | - | $56,964 |
| 2020 | MP | $30,914 | - | $28,077 | $21,261 | - | - | $81,103 |
| 2019 | MP | $31,037 | - | $36,834 | $15,644 | - | $19,615 | $85,613 |
| 2018 | MP | $15,457 | - | $19,139 | $8,960 | $44,565 | - | $61,320 |
| 2017 | Minister | $38,529 | $6,504 | $46,299 | $35,582 | $16,164 | $38,233 | $181,311 |
| 2016 | Minister | $40,888 | $7,714 | $54,065 | $51,248 | $5,759 | $31,485 | $189,397 |
| 2015 | Minister | $39,316 | $7,798 | $66,398 | $55,618 | $12,282 | $34,334 | $205,005 |
| 2014 | Minister | $38,347 | $7,415 | $67,502 | $49,276 | $10,176 | $1,202 | $163,771 |
| 2013 | Minister | $31,178 | $5,406 | $57,125 | $65,458 | $13,909 | $16,692 | $175,858 |
| 2012 | Minister | $14,951 | $1,420 | $51,414 | $25,758 | $72,965 | $29,891 | $129,050 |
| 2011 | Minister | - | $5,165 | $52,199 | $91,490 | $4,974 | $64,091 | $217,917 |
| 2010 | Minister | - | $5,151 | $38,138 | $77,108 | - | $91,810 | $212,207 |
| 2009 | Minister | - | $1,783 | $22,886 | $24,001 | - | $19,983 | $68,653 |
MP expenses from Parliament disclosure. Minister expenses disclosed separately via DIA Executive disclosure. Years showing '-' may indicate the person held a ministerial role during that period.
Source: Council pecuniary interest registers under the Local Authorities (Members' Interests) Act 1968. Declared interests do not imply conflicts or improper conduct.