Former Labour MP Paul Eagle has admitted to altering renovation contracts for his council-owned home, a scandal that has rocked Wellington politics and raised questions about oversight of public housing.
Eagle, who served as MP for Rongotai until losing his seat in 2023, told investigators he "panicked" when confronted about extensive renovations to his Wellington City Council-owned property. Newsroom reports he subsequently altered documentation to downplay the scope and cost of the work.
The phrase "gold-plating" refers to luxury upgrades well beyond standard maintenance - the kind of renovations you'd expect in a private home, not a council rental.
Mate, this is how you lose public trust in record time.
The revelations emerged during a Serious Fraud Office investigation into Wellington City Council's housing portfolio. Investigators discovered that Eagle's property had received renovations worth tens of thousands of dollars - far exceeding what typical council tenants receive.
When initially questioned, Eagle provided documentation suggesting the work was routine maintenance. It later emerged he had modified the contracts to obscure the true nature of the renovations, which included high-end fixtures and finishes.
"I panicked," Eagle reportedly told investigators. "I knew how it would look."
It looks exactly how you'd expect: a politician getting special treatment while ordinary wait years for basic repairs to their council homes.
