The Niue government has been told its plans to buy an expensive property in Wellington to house its diplomatic mission is an extravagance the island can't afford.
The government is negotiating to buy a building in Thorndon in central Wellington to provide accommodation and offices for the high commissioner and her staff.
Opposition MP, Terry Coe, says he's been approached by people wondering why the money is not going to solve some of the critical issues on the island.
It's to be partially paid for with money from the island's trust fund but Mr Coe says that money should be spent on Niue.
"The thing is you see the state of our roads and the education system and the wages for the public servants etc and the other infrastructure [which] is in very poor condition, we should be doing those things up with that money and bringing it here so that when we do use it it circulates around on the island and benefits all of the people.."
