Who is treating taxpayers as an ATM?

mickysavage
2 months ago
Categories: Christopher Luxon, national, Parliament, parliamentary spending, Politics, same old national

Remember when Christopher Luxon said:

I know how hard you work to pay your taxes – and under my government the culture of treating taxpayers like an ATM is over.”

Or when he claimed about excessive spending by the last Government? From OneNews:

Luxon said Labour’s “excessive spending” was driving economic pain and there was nothing to show for the additional spending.

“It’s not just about the numbers.

“Behind all the data… are Kiwi families [who] are facing tough choices every day.”

Or when he said that the economy is in bad shape because of a huge amount of “wasteful government spending” that has driven inflation up, increased interest rates and seen the economy start to contract?

Or when he said this about Public Servants being paid for Te Reo proficiency?

“In the real world, outside of Wellington and outside the bubble of Parliament, people who want to learn te reo or want to learn any other education actually pay for it themselves. It’s quite normal”.

Well it appears that there is a rather large exception to his expectations. One that involves his personal finances. From Radio New Zealand:

The prime minister will receive a $52,000 top-up to his $471,000 salary to cover his accommodation expenses since he is not living in Premier House.

A spokesperson for Christopher Luxon confirmed he will claim the optional accommodation payment, despite living in an apartment in Wellington that he owns mortgage-free.

It makes Luxon the first prime minister in at least 34 years to claim the payment. Since Premier House became the official prime ministerial residence in 1990, previous titleholders have either lived there or, in the case of Wellington-based leaders Bill English and Chris Hipkins, stayed in their own homes.

All this talk about wasteful spending and strained middle and ending the culture of treating the taxpayer as an ATM is hot air. It appears that when it comes to the crunch Christopher Luxon prefers self help to looking after the country’s finances.

Update:

According to Chris it is his entitlement. There must be a media minder in a Koru Lounge at Queenstown drinking large amounts of spirits right now …

Update 2:

That was fast. Chris has performed a complete blackflip and said he will pay the money back.