𝕃𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤 ℍ𝕚𝕡𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕞𝕤 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕃𝕦𝕩𝕠𝕟'𝕤 $𝟝𝟟𝕜 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕗𝕦𝕣𝕓 𝕕𝕦𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕤 𝕔𝕠𝕤𝕥-𝕔𝕦𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘

𝕃𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤 ℍ𝕚𝕡𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕪'𝕤 ℂ𝔼𝕆 𝕔𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕦𝕡𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕕𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕚𝕔 𝕤𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕤 𝕔𝕦𝕥𝕤.

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ewshub revealed on Tuesday that $57,000 was spent on upgrading the Prime Minister's Beehive office. 

Appearing on his weekly AM slot on Wednesday, Hipkins argued there was nothing wrong with the country's CEO's office. 

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"He's got one standard for himself, which is a very, very high standard, and a different standard for others who he thinks should make do with a whole lot less."

Chris Hipkins on CEO Luxons tax payer funded office refurbishment 

Hipkins criticised the upgrading while the Government simultaneously cuts public service costs. 

The Coalition Government has directed the public services to cut costs by 6.5 to 7.5 percent to help reduce annual public service spending by $1.5 billion, resulting in thousands of jobs proposed to be axed across the sector. The Government said the cuts were in response to an increase in public servants under Labour. 

As I said before, I deserve plush surroundings, it is what I am used to in order to be successful and achieve outcomes. As CEO of New Zillund I am entitled to it... pic.twitter.com/y4c2RkTNNG

— Veronica Glamis Aotearoa💃💃💃💃 (@VeronicaGlamis) May 7, 2024

"The Premier House wasn't good enough for him, the Prime Minister's office wasn't good enough for him. He seems to have no hesitation spending money on himself while he's telling everyone else to suck it up and stomach cuts. I think that shows that his priorities are all wrong." 

The Parliamentary Service has a replacement and upgrade cycle which is conducted every year and the $57,000 cost involved installing video-conferencing gear. 

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However, there was already video-conferencing equipment in the office. 

Hipkins said the equipment was sufficient to run the country during COVID-19 and for former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to run APEC. 

He said while time to time equipment should be updated, he wouldn't prioritise it while laying people off. 

"They are making choices to spend more money on themselves and put people out of work – I think that shows that the Government's choices are the wrong choices." 

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