Former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was given a bike by Chinese Premier Li Qiang when the pair met last year. Photo / Nathan McKinnon, RNZ
Former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was gifted a bicycle by Chinese Premier Li Qiang while visiting China last year, but it hasn’t made its way to New Zealand yet.
It’s not the only intriguing gift declaration to come from Parliament’s recently released register of pecuniary interests – Act leader and Epsom MP David Seymour was given brand new Louis Vuitton ties by constituent and well-known Auckland real estate agent Michael Boulgaris.
However, Seymour might have to correct his declaration after Boulgaris told the Herald he’d also sent his local MP an expensive bottle of cologne, which was not listed.
They were some of the more noteworthy gifts declared by MPs in the annual register released today, which also included East Coast Bays MP Erica Stanford receiving a free bed from Slumberzone New Zealand and various MPs getting tickets to watch the All Blacks, the Warriors and Ed Sheeran.
Hipkins, now Labour leader and Remutaka MP, travelled to China last year and met with Li in June after meeting President Xi Jinping.
The Chinese politician, who praised Hipkins for his efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic, gifted Hipkins the bicycle during that trip.
A spokeswoman for Hipkins was unable to give further details about the bike but did confirm it had been left in China with Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials to avoid the cost of transporting it to New Zealand.
It’s unclear whether Hipkins intends to have the bike shipped from China.
Hipkins declared a second gift – a framed, signed photo from Princess Anne, daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II. The photo was of a size appropriate to fit on a desk but it was understood the photo was not presently on Hipkins’ desk.
Seymour’s only declared gift were the Louis Vuitton ties. According to the company’s website, the ties were worth between $400 and $670.
Seymour told the Herald he received two ties but Boulgaris said he’d in fact gifted four brand new ties, as well as a bottle of Tom Ford cologne. According to PerfumeNZ, the price of a bottle ranged from $185 to $750.
Upon hearing Boulgaris’ comments, Seymour said he couldn’t recall the cologne but pledged to investigate the matter with haste and correct the register if it was necessary.
Not providing an accurate declaration led to former Labour Cabinet minister Michael Wood’s resignation after it was revealed the former Transport Minister didn’t declare shares in Auckland International Airport and Contact Energy, prompting concerns of a conflict of interest.
The Herald has asked Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s office whether he had any concern about Seymour’s potential omission. It wasn’t immediately obvious how Seymour’s roles as Regulations Minister and Associate Finance, Justice, Health and Education Minister would prompt a conflict in this case.
Of the two ties he was aware of, Seymour thought they were beautiful, saying: “Normally I have to sell a kidney to buy ties like this.” He later clarified he had not sold a kidney to buy a tie.
Seymour said he had known Boulgaris for about 10 years amid campaigning for the Epsom seat.
He had also assisted Boulgaris during the Covid pandemic to help his relatives enter the country. Seymour said he “strongly dissuaded” people giving gifts for work he did as an electorate MP.
Boulgaris said he’d given the ties and cologne to Seymour in recognition of the MP’s high work ethic, saying: “You’ve got to look your best. Nothing worse than a man in a business suit with an old tie.”
Asked why he felt the need to buy Seymour cologne, Boulgaris confirmed he had no concerns about his MP’s odour.
In other gifts, Stanford – also the Education Minister and Immigration Minister – was listed as having received a bed from Slumberzone New Zealand director Ranjay Sikka. The Herald has attempted to contact Sikka and Stanford.
Sport and concert tickets made up the bulk of the gifts declared in the annual register.
Papakura MP and Defence Minister Judith Collins was the recipient of the most tickets, getting nine corporate seats for tennis in Auckland. They were provided by One NZ, Auckland Tennis and ASB Bank.
Collins also received four corporate box tickets to a Warriors game, from the Warriors. Her only gift that wasn’t sports-related was an oil painting from Samoan painter Fatu Feu’u.
Luxon had received several gifts, including Ed Sheeran tickets from Eden Park, a jetboat ride from KJet Queenstown and a case of 12 wine bottles from Queenstown’s Gibbston Valley Winery.
He got a few tickets to sporting fixtures as well – to see the ASB Classic men’s tennis final, the All Blacks, the Black Ferns, the Warriors and the Fifa Women’s World Cup.
Hutt South MP and Housing Minister Chris Bishop also received some corporate Warriors tickets as well as a double pass to watch the Foo Fighters.
Absent from his declaration were the shares he’d held in Wellington craft brewery Parrotdog, which he had divested ahead of entering Government and becoming a minister.
In October, Luxon as National leader was quoted by Newsroom as being open to considering a bar on ministerial shareholdings, saying it “seems quite reasonable”.
The Herald has asked Luxon’s office whether such a bar was in place.
Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.