It is the hot seat no politician wants to sit on.
The bottom line is Prime Minister John Key won't comment, Finance Minister Bill English won't sit in it, and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee claims he was in the hot seat already.
And the issue?
The Department of Internal Affairs has confirmed a ministerial limousine - complete with the $990 rear seat warmer - would now be based in Christchurch from next week.
Earlier this year, it was announced one of the Government's new 34 BMW 730LD fleet would feature the rear-seat heated options and was to be based in Dunedin.
At the time, a spokesman for Mr English told the Otago Daily Times the Clutha-Southland MP did not authorise the optional extra for the Dunedin car and "the Finance Minister was not aware of the decision and does not agree with it".
"Furthermore, he won't be using the car."
On Monday, Prime Minister John Key declined to comment on whether it was a good look for ministers to ride in a car with heated seats through the quake-affected city, or even if he would use the feature.
He referred further comment on operational matters to Internal Affairs.
Mr Brownlee said he had "no idea" the hot-seated limousine would be based in Christchurch.
Asked if he would use the feature, Mr Brownlee said "around Canterbury I have been in the hot seat for almost 12 months, so I probably wouldn't notice, anyway".
Waimakariri MP Clayton Cosgrove said there were "a hell of a lot of people sitting in cold houses" affected by the earthquake, who would find little comfort in ministers riding in a Crown limo complete with a heated seat.
"Whether Mr Brownlee or other ministers have a warm limousine, the taxpayer pays for these things. They're in Government. It is not good enough for the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and local ministers in Christchurch to run a mile."
Internal Affairs decided to replace the fleet late last year, after a deal approved by the former Labour Government three years ago.
A department spokesman said the cost of the new fleet was commercially sensitive, and the car with the heated seats would be based in Christchurch for "job allocation within the South Island".
That decision was made by the department, he said.
