NZ Prime Minister gets into a war of words with Aussie cricket star Usman Khawaja over bombshell comment about leader’s luxury home

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon has hit back after Australian cricket star Usman Khawaja said the leader told him his official residence is ‘condemned’ and unfit for living.

On Monday evening, Mr Luxon and Sports Minister Chris Bishop hosted the Australian and New Zealand cricket teams at the Prime Minister’s official residence in the Wellington suburb of Thorndon.

The festivities – which included a Maori reception and a backyard cricket match on a specially mowed field – took place outside on a beautiful summer evening.

Mr Luxon, who described himself as a Test cricketer tragic, spoke to players for an hour and told Usman Khawaja he could not live in the house.

“The prime minister said he could not live in his house,” Khawaja said.

Khawaja (second from right) said Luxon (front row, third from left) made the comment during a meeting of the Australian and New Zealand cricket teams on Monday (pictured)

“He said it was condemned, the kitchen was condemned… I said, ‘Why don’t you live here?’ He said: ‘I’m actually not allowed to do that, it was disapproved.’

‘What did I say?!’ You’re the Prime Minister, fix it!’

“He was like, ‘oh, that costs money.’ I’m like, ‘There’s definitely some money in the New Zealand system!’

A spokesperson for Luxon said the prime minister disputed Khawaja’s account and said he had never used the word “convicted.”

“He told them he was living in his flat because Premier House has known maintenance issues,” the spokesman said.

The Prime Minister has been cautious about his living situation since taking office in November last year.

Wellington newspaper The Post reported earlier this month that Luxon was living in his Wellington apartment, one of seven New Zealand properties the wealthy former executive owns without a mortgage.

The national leader, who lives in Auckland, was criticized for accepting a $29,000 annual allowance while staying in his own flat in Wellington as an MP.

Mr Luxon does not live in his official residence due to ‘maintenance problems’

As Prime Minister, he is now eligible for a $49,000 benefit if he does not live in Premier House.

The Post report said Mr Luxon had received a briefing on the work needed at Premier House and was considering it.

“Premier House requires a significant amount of work so the Prime Minister will take that into account before making any decisions about his stay there,” a spokesperson for the Premier House Board said.

The decision to renovate Premier House would be at odds with the coalition government’s promises to rein in public spending.

Luxon’s government is in the midst of a tough round of budget cuts, aiming to cut public services by NZ1 billion ($940 million) annually, including spending on consultants.

The Prime Minister (pictured playing backyard cricket at his official residence) disputed Khawaja’s account, saying he had never used the word ‘convicted’.

Khawaja said he told Luxon, “What?!” You’re the Prime Minister, fix it!’ when he was told about the condition of the official residence

However, it is a widely held view that Premier House needs something of a spruce up, with former Chancellor of the Exchequer Grant Robertson saying in 2020 that it has ‘a slight 1980s motel atmosphere’.

“On the night of the Netball World Cup final I had a sleepover at Premier House and I can tell you the place up there is in desperate need of an upgrade… it’s out of order,” he said.

Then-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern opted against the renovations because she was “not someone who liked to spend money on herself,” Robertson said.

On Monday evening, Mr Luxon enjoyed time in conversation with Test captains Pat Cummins, Tim Southee and others.

In a short speech he told the players he was “probably the biggest Test cricket fan” of all New Zealand’s prime ministers, and said he played corridor cricket with Mr Bishop at Parliament House while in opposition.

“We kind of imagined we were playing with you guys,” he told the Test squads.