Luxon has his snout in the trough.

[Praktica]

https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/03/01/luxon-...apartment/

[Oh_hunnihunni]

And WINZ staffers have been told all applications for food grants, accommodation supplement etc - including those made by superannuitants are to be closely scrutinised for hidden savings accounts and undeclared income...

The biggest bludgers of them all aren't among the poor.

[Lilith7]

"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.

Prior to the election, Luxon was one of more than 20 MPs who received $31,000 a year from Parliament to cover housing expenses in the capital while staying in properties they already owned. At least some of those MPs were still paying a mortgage on their Wellington properties, however, which Luxon is not.

This isn’t the first time attention has turned on MPs claiming the allowance while seemingly not needing it. While English did not claim it as Prime Minister, he was criticised for claiming the payment as a minister in 2009 and ultimately repaid the money."



If this isn't blatant greed, then its a truly excellent imitation of exactly that. And these people have no problem with bashing those far worse off than they are, & making their lives as miserable as possible. And apparently, seeing no contradiction...


Around 78% of people didn't bother to vote in the last election - time to make it compulsory perhaps.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

And as soon as it hits the media he reverses his position...

[Lilith7]

Yep, I saw that - very swift U turn, & I suppose he deserves some credit for having the sense to change his mind but not much because he really should have known better.

Not an especially Christian way to behave, but then most right wing Christians tend not to be much like their Christ.



“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
 Mahatma Gandhi

[harm_less]

And as soon as it hits the media he reverses his position...

I suspect that someone with more understanding of the potential political fallout that was accumulating from Luxon's attitude had a word in his ear.

Also worth noting that it seems to have been Newshub that put a lot of effort into reporting this issue and as they have pretty much have nothing to lose over the next few months we may well see some more skeletons dragged into the public arena. Pass the popcorn

[Oh_hunnihunni]

With luck newsroom will get more support with the absence of Three. They produce some very good articles.

[Olive]

Did anyone here watch Luxon's press conference yesterday?  I didn't because I can't bear to look at him, but apparently he allowed himself to be manipulated into using the words "entitled" and "entitlement" about 20 times.   His advisers would have been beside themselves.

[zqwerty]

The fact that a man like this can get into power says a lot about NZ.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

It was amusing. Even funnier thing, I responded to the Labour Party's thread on farcebook yesterday and got a snippy reaction from a Nat telling me Luxon was entitled to claim the allowance, and she got really cross when I agreed with her.

I dunno, no pleasing some people!

[Lilith7]

And as soon as it hits the media he reverses his position...

I suspect that someone with more understanding of the potential political fallout that was accumulating from Luxon's attitude had a word in his ear.

Also worth noting that it seems to have been Newshub that put a lot of effort into reporting this issue and as they have pretty much have nothing to lose over the next few months we may well see some more skeletons dragged into the public arena. Pass the popcorn

Indeed - going down in flames is no longer a concern for them so there may well be no holds barred from now on. Should be interesting...

And serves all politicians right.

I found Luxon's constant 'I'm entitled to this' very interesting; apparently there are rather a lot of things to which some beneficiares are entitled, yet they're very seldom informed about them. Which makes quite a contrast...

[Praktica]

Luxon changed his mind after hearing the reaction to his little perk on talkback.

[Lilith7]

Luxon changed his mind after hearing the reaction to his little perk on talkback.

I suppose he could hardly do otherwise really, it would have been brought up at every opportunity if he hadn't & that sort of greed isn't a good look for a Christian...

[dken31]

Making use of the entitlement was politically naive. However, I care less about a sitting PM getting that allowance than I do about Ardern, Key, Clark & Bolger (and any other ex-PM who did at least 5 years) all each getting a bit more ($54.5K) each year for doing nothing. Palmer & Shipley also get lesser amounts each year.

---

Also, I have no idea how generous or greedy Luxon is as I don't know what he does with his money. However, I can very much refute the "greedy right-wing Christian" stereotype as I see the annual donations of a wide range of clients and socially conservative Christians are the most generous by a country mile, even when ignoring any donations to their churches.

---

Also, I have no idea how generous or greedy Luxon is as I don't know what he does with his money. However, I can very much refute the "greedy right-wing Christian" stereotype as I see the annual donations of a wide range of clients and socially conservative Christians are the most generous by a country mile, even when ignoring any donations to their churches.

[harm_less]

Making use of the entitlement was politically naive. However, I care less about a sitting PM getting that allowance than I do about Ardern, Key, Clark & Bolger (and any other ex-PM who did at least 5 years) all each getting a bit more ($54.5K) each year for doing nothing.  Palmer & Shipley also get lesser amounts each year.

---

Also, I have no idea how generous or greedy Luxon is as I don't know what he does with his money. However, I can very much refute the "greedy right-wing Christian" stereotype as I see the annual donations of a wide range of clients and socially conservative Christians are the most generous by a country mile, even when ignoring any donations to their churches.

Ongoing perks for ex-Heads of state is standard practice internationally so not easily contested. The bigger faux pas in Luxon's claiming entitlements to their maximum degree is the contrasting behaviour of his recent predecessors with Ardern putting up with the inadequacies of Premier House and just getting on with it and Key forgoing his PM salary entirely based on his existing level of wealth.

Worth noting that Luxon came onto the scene hiring a limousine to ride what was an easily walkable route, and now claiming $52K for use of his own freehold Wellington apartment and $45K for a house he purchased unencumbered for use as his electorate office. Also all too willing to pocket the CCD on his Tesla before burning that bridge for other Kiwis. Greedy, and tone deaf to the economic realities of many NZers is how he is portraying himself with no doubt more poor choices yet to be exposed in the coming months now that he has effectively painted a target on his own back.

[Zurdo]

However, I can very much refute the "greedy right-wing Christian" stereotype as I see the annual donations of a wide range of clients and socially conservative Christians are the most generous by a country mile, even when ignoring any donations to their churches.

You obviously don't have any Sikhs on your client list - their donations to any community are more than any other religion by a country mile...and they don't mouth off how generous they are, they just do it.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Indeed. They are also very likely to have multiple social volunteer roles, especially among those in need and in desperate circumstances. And yes, they rarely blow their own trumpets, but boy they light up when someone says thank you...

[Lilith7]

Making use of the entitlement was politically naive. However, I care less about a sitting PM getting that allowance than I do about Ardern, Key, Clark & Bolger (and any other ex-PM who did at least 5 years) all each getting a bit more ($54.5K) each year for doing nothing.  Palmer & Shipley also get lesser amounts each year.

---

Also, I have no idea how generous or greedy Luxon is as I don't know what he does with his money. However, I can very much refute the "greedy right-wing Christian" stereotype as I see the annual donations of a wide range of clients and socially conservative Christians are the most generous by a country mile, even when ignoring any donations to their churches.

---

Also, I have no idea how generous or greedy Luxon is as I don't know what he does with his money. However, I can very much refute the "greedy right-wing Christian" stereotype as I see the annual donations of a wide range of clients and socially conservative Christians are the most generous by a country mile, even when ignoring any donations to their churches.

As it happens I agree about perks & payments for ex MP's & think that needs to be radically changed, if not  removed altogether.

I think anyone who is already very well off - a multi millionare, wealthy enough to own 7 houses - is indeed exhibiting greed by claiming the alowanace when he very obviously didn't actually need it.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Remember that president in South America who gave his presidential salary away? And he wasn't even rich.

Now why can't we have moral political leadership like that? Maybe because we don't earn it.

[Lilith7]

Remember that president in South America who gave his presidential salary away? And he wasn't even rich.

Now why can't we have moral political leadership like that? Maybe because we don't earn it.

That would be the one & only Jose Mujica; the sort of leader every country needs  - & really, after 4 decades of divisive & damaging NeoLiberalism I think we desperately need a leader like that, if not damned well deserve it! 
NOW'S good!

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-45195188
"Former Uruguayan leader José Mujica, who was dubbed "the world's poorest president" for his modest lifestyle, says he does not want any pension from his time as a senator.

Mr Mujica resigned on Tuesday from the post of senator, which he had held since 2015, when his five-year-term as president had ended.
He said he would not serve out his term until 2020 because as he was "tired after a long journey".
The former left-wing rebel is 83.

Mr Mujica, who is known for his direct and sometimes colourful language, also apologised to "any colleagues I may have personally hurt in the heat of the debate".
But it was his down-to-earth lifestyle and refusal to live in the presidential palace during his time in office which made him really famous.

Then and now, he and his wife, who was his life partner and fellow guerrilla fighter long before they married in 2005, live on a modest flower farm on the outskirts of Montevideo.
He donated most of his salary as president to charity and the only possession he had when he took office in 2010 was his 1987 Volkswagen Beetle.
The light-blue, beat-up Beetle became so famous he was offered $1m (£780,000) for it in 2014, but turned the offer down because he said he would have no way of transporting his three-legged dog without it.

Mr Mujica's resignation letter did not come as a surprise as he had announced that he would send it during his last appearance in the Senate on 3 August."