Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has defended using taxpayer money for Te Reo lessons despite his Government looking to drop the axe on bonuses to some public servants learning the language.
The use of taxpayer money for the lessons has raised questions of double standards, given Luxon's Government's approach to the language in the public service.
Earlier this month it emerged that the new Coalition Government was planning to scrap bonuses for public servants who were learning Te Reo in roles where it wasn't relevant. People in roles where being proficient in the language was helpful to the job would continue to be remunerated, Finance Minister Nicola Willis said.
"People who want to learn Te Reo or learn any other education actually pay for it themselves," Luxon said at the time.
At his post-Cabinet press conference on Monday afternoon, Luxon said it wasn't hypocritical for him to be using taxpayer money on lessons.
As AAP first reported on Monday morning, Luxon said the money used came from a wider allowance made available to the Leader of the Opposition.
"I have a finite leader's budget as do all leaders of political parties," Luxon said.
"You get to choose to spend that money on whatever you wish that you think will help. In my case, I actually felt learning Te Reo lessons was really good."
He said he wished he had learnt Te Reo when younger and believed learning it now would make him a better leader. He said he had found it very difficult learning the language.
"Using those funds for those purposes, I think, was a good use of that investment," he said.
Luxon said the Government supported people learning Te Reo if it was critical to their job, but those types of "bonuses" were inappropriate.
He said the Government would be looking at all bonuses on top of remuneration to ask if it is linked to better outcomes.
He believed the country had got a good outcome from him learning Te Reo.
"They have got a Prime Minister who is actually keen to learn Te Reo and wants to get better at it and actually wants to improve my skills in it."
Luxon has mentioned on several occasions over the past year that he has been learning Te Reo, though he's refused to reveal who was giving him the lessons. On Monday he didn't know how much has been spent on his lessons, saying it was managed by his office.
Newshub revealed this month that 547 public servants across 12 Government departments had been paid nearly $800,000 this year under the bonus scheme.
The decision to pull back on the bonuses was criticised by the Opposition.
"Those who speak fluent te reo Māori in public service roles... [having] their pay docked is disgraceful," said Labour leader Chris Hipkins.
"Sadly, I think it just confirms the backwards focus of this Government," said Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.
The Coalition Government has also begun directing departments to communicate primarily in English and ensure their "primary name" is in English.
