PHOTO: Amanda & Christopher Luxon. FILE
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is leaving behind his Wellington city apartment and moving into Premier House, now that the official residence’s renovations have been completed.
The $37 million property has undergone superficial upgrades over the past nine months, including a fresh coat of interior paint, new curtains and blinds, and other minor refurbishments.
Luxon had previously faced public backlash for receiving a $52,000 annual accommodation allowance while residing in his mortgage-free Wellington apartment. Initially defending the allowance as an entitlement, Luxon later returned the $13,000 he had received and relinquished the benefit. The accommodation allowance is meant for MPs based outside Wellington to cover living costs in the capital, but prime ministers had rarely claimed it. Luxon is believed to be the first PM in over three decades to do so.
Movers have been transferring Luxon’s belongings to Premier House over the past few days, with his office confirming the relocation. The upgrade to Premier House has so far cost $169,849.09, with additional invoices still pending, according to Newsroom. Further expenditures include approximately $15,000 on new items such as a mattress, bed base, Sky TV installation, and other miscellaneous costs.
Last year, Luxon received a briefing on potential refurbishments for the property, with one option costing $80 million. A recommended $33 million upgrade was chosen, along with a long-term maintenance plan estimated to cost $27 million over the next two decades. This independent report had been commissioned by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in 2022. Ardern and her family lived in Premier House during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, after moving there permanently during lockdowns.
Former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins also occasionally used the residence but was candid about its need for renovation, noting that it was not in the best condition. The report found that Premier House did not “reflect the status” of a prime minister, underscoring the necessity of these upgrades.
In addition, the report assessed Luxon’s private apartment and found it lacking in several areas, including non-compliance with accessibility standards, a roof in need of replacement by 2025, poor insulation, and single-glazed windows.
SOURCE: 1NEWS