Editorial: The Prime Minister Should Pay for Housing Too

Editor Sammy Carter / Real Estate agent

Why should the most well-paid public servant also get free housing? Humble yourself.  

Last week, Prime Minister Chris Luxon moved into the newly refurbished Premier House in Thorndon, Wellington.  

Over $95,000 dollars was spent on the refurbishments. And according to Newshub, $9,832.38 of taxpayer money was spent readying the property for Luxon.   

This taxpayer money was spent on new mattresses, linen, a new toaster, kettle, knife set, microwave, tea towels, and even a Sky TV connection.  

Do you want us to pay for your Netflix, too?  

As of 2023, the PM’s salary sits at $471,049. The thought that we are paying for this person’s bed sheets feels ridiculous. I hope we got him Egyptian cotton.  

Because the Prime Minister gets this privilege, last month Luxon was able to sell his Wellington apartment for $975,000, 1News reported. He is expected to make a capital gain of $180,000, as he bought the apartment in 2020. 

Scrutiny for this was inevitable, but Luxon expected this. He told reporters, “If we’re going to criticise people for being successful, let’s be clear, I’m wealthy and I'm sorted.”  

He argued that it was normal for Prime Ministers to sell their own accommodation and move into the Premier House. “Now I'm moving in, and I don't need the apartment, so I’m selling it. That’s what John Key did when he became Prime Minister.” 

Luxon isn’t the only person to spend up budget money on the house. In 2011 John Key spent $275,000 on renovations including new paint, carpet, and blinds. In 2018, Jacinda Ardern was advised to invest in repairs and security upgrades and ended up spending around $3 million.  

It feels completely ironic that we have budgeted $340 million a year on emergency housing for people at the bottom of the chain, while simultaneously spending money to house someone at the top of the chain.  

The Prime Minister gets to live in a house valued at $37 million just because of their job title, while the rest of us fight to find healthy homes, pay for rent and argue with landlords.  

Luxon is a multimillionaire who owns seven mortgage-free properties. He doesn’t need to live rent free. But this isn’t actually about Luxon in particular. Every Prime Minister has been on a high enough salary that they can and should pay for their own accommodation.  

So perhaps Luxon should consider moving back into that Wellington apartment he lived in happily since 2020. Unless he’d like to lead by example and pay rent on the Premier House — just like the rest of us.