After saying he was unaware of the Dunedin City Council’s bid for government support to buy at-risk South Dunedin properties during his recent visit to Dunedin, Mr Luxon has now been accused of blaming the previous government for rejecting the group’s appeal.
This is despite the council receiving a letter of rejection on May 29.
In Parliament yesterday, Labour leader Chris Hipkins asked Mr Luxon "why wasn’t he aware that his government had declined funding for a longer-term strategy to deal with the flood risks in South Dunedin - was he not properly briefed before his visit or does he just not care?".
Mr Luxon responded that "I’d just remind that member that it was his government that declined the proposal that was sent forward by the district council".
"What we are doing is we are making sure that we’ve got a climate adaptation framework in place, that it considers all the stakeholders and considers multiple generations and different political leadership as well."
Mr Hipkins interjected that Mr Luxon misspoke.
Taieri MP Ingrid Leary, who was in the House at the time Mr Luxon made the comment, was furious.
"Mr Luxon has no idea what is going on in Dunedin, and continues to prove this," she said after the debate.
The Dunedin City Council learned earlier this year its bid for $132.5 million from the Treasury’s National Resilience Plan to buy at-risk properties or sites to convert into flood mitigation systems in South Dunedin would not go ahead.
A letter to Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich and chief executive Sandy Graham dated May 29 says "we regret to inform you that your application for funding to support the South Dunedin Future Programme will not be progressed from the fund".
Mr Luxon’s apparent error comes shortly after his visit to Dunedin, where during a media conference he appeared to not have any knowledge of the city council’s application.
