Prime Minister Christopher Luxon responds to attention on Wellington apartment sale

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By Raphael Franks

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has responded to media attention on the capital gains he made from selling his Wellington apartment, saying he expected no less and had nothing to hide in terms of his success.

"Let's be clear, I'm wealthy," he told Newstalk ZB's Heather du Plessis Allan this morning.

Online property records show the apartment in the Kate Sheppard complex opposite Parliament sold on 8 September but is still pending settlement. It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

No sale price is yet available, but the apartment was last sold for $795,000 in September 2020 - about a month prior to Luxon becoming the Botany MP. It is estimated the property to be valued at between $745,000 and $890,000.

While Prime Ministers usually reside in Premier House while in Wellington, Luxon until this point had stayed in his apartment, pointing to the need for superficial refurbishments at the official residence.

Du Plessis-Allan asked Luxon, "how do you feel about the fact that it was all over the TV news last night, how much you made"?

Luxon answered: "Well, I've come to expect that. As I said from my first day in politics, I'm a kid whose parents left school at 16, I went to university, did well in the world, successful, I get it. And I've chosen to come into politics because I want to add back to New Zealand.

"If we're going to criticise people for being successful, let's be clear - I'm wealthy."

The Prime Minister's Office confirmed on Monday morning that Luxon moved into Premier House over the weekend. Luxon on Monday afternoon said the upgrade was "real basic elementary maintenance", and included replacing carpets and a new interior paint job. He didn't provide a cost for the work, but it's previously been reported to be north of $170,000.

Luxon came under pressure for claiming an allowance to live in the apartment. MPs based outside of Wellington are able to claim up to $52,000 for their accommodation while they need to be at Parliament. But few Prime Ministers have claimed it, with Luxon being the first in at least 34 years.

He initially defended the move by calling it an "entitlement" and "within the rules", but then U-turned, calling it a "distraction".

"I have decided today that I will no longer claim the allowance and will repay anything I have received since I became Prime Minister," he said in March. It meant Luxon would pay back $13,000.

A report released earlier this year from the Premier House Board indicated the house had a number of problems, including decades-old fittings and furnishings and poor insulation.

The Kate Sheppard apartment isn't the only property Luxon has recently sold. He sold a property in Onehunga last month.

- NZH