“He told them he was living in his apartment because Premier House had known maintenance issues,” the spokesman said.
Luxon has been coy about his living arrangements since taking office in November.
Wellington newspaper the post It was reported earlier this month that Luxon was living in his Wellington apartment, one of seven properties the wealthy former executive owns without a mortgage.
The national leader has faced criticism for accepting an annual allowance of NZ$31,000 ($29,000) to live at home as an MP. As Prime Minister, he is eligible for a NZ$52,000 allowance if he does not live in the Premier House.
the postLuxon said he is considering receiving a briefing on the work needed at Premier House.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Council said: “The Prime Minister's Council requires a significant amount of work, so the Prime Minister will take this into account before making any decisions about accommodation there.”
The decision to renovate the property would conflict with the coalition government's pledges to rein in public spending.
Luxon's government is engaged in a tough round of budget cuts, aiming to cut the public service by NZ$1 billion a year, including spending on consultants.
It has long been known that the property needs renovations. In 2020, former Finance Minister Grant Robertson said the city had a “slight 1980s hotel vibe”.
“On the night of the Netball World Cup final, I had an overnight stay at the Premier House hotel and I can tell you it is in desperate need of an upgrade on the top floor there… it's not up to scratch,” he said.
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It underwent repairs in 2018 worth NZ$3 million. Two years later New Zealand Herald It stated that the property “would not have met the government’s healthy homes standards without recent improvements”.
On the night, Luxon enjoyed time in conversation with Test captains Pat Cummins, Tim Southee and others.
In a short speech, he told the players that he was “probably the biggest fan of Test cricket” of any New Zealand Prime Minister, saying he had played corridor cricket with Bishop in Parliament House while in opposition.
“We were imagining ourselves playing with you,” he said.
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