It sounds like Premier house needs some quite serious maintenance work, that would make it very difficult to actually live in while the work is being done.

[–] Rangelus@lemmy.nz 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The issue isn't that, it's that other previous PMs who lived in their own residences in Wellington did not receive the payment. Chris Hipkins for example.

Given the retoric from the PM about belt tightening and benefit bashing, and given he owns the apartment outright with no mortgage, the optics are pretty poor.

Also he just announced he is paying it back, btw.

[–] Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Hipkins has his primary residence in the Hutt Valley though, Luxon lives in Auckland

[–] Rangelus@lemmy.nz 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Ah yes, good point. I stand by my general point though, that it's bad optics given all he's being harping on about lately.

[–] Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz 2 points 8 months ago

No argument about that, he walked right into this one with his mouth open.