The most expensive thing Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick owns is her sofa

Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick rents a one-bedroom apartment in Freemans Bay, Auckland. The “hugely nostalgic” Millennial fills the space with art from her peers, books on drug law reform and sturdy houseplants.

CHLÖE: I have lived in various places around central Auckland. My first place, I’m sure it was illegal for people to live there, was an old bungalow that slid down the back of a hill. Each room, including the living room, was a bedroom.

Then I lived in a tiny but very expensive apartment with no natural light on Symonds St. My top floor was a beautiful historic apartment on Newton Rd. But one day rain fell on my couch.

As anyone who rents will know, it’s quite a challenge to get to places right now and costs are skyrocketing.

I moved here due to the proximity to Karangahape Rd. I have never owned a car.

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Being able to walk or bus everywhere with my trusty, well-worn Hop card was important.

Most days I go down the street and have coffee from a small business. There are a lot of people who roast their beans around here. Even within the 1 km stretch of Karangahape; you have Miller coffee, Eightthirty, Daily Daily, Supreme, Fort Greene, Bestie … they all see me at least once a week (which is why I can’t afford a house, obviously).

I love chairs so much. My ex-partner, my current partner, and friends of mine have all jokingly harassed me about how much I invest in my chairs.

My sofa is the most expensive thing I have. It was the first thing I bought when I became a deputy. It’s from Freedom Furniture and it cost me just three thousand dollars.

I have bought chairs in some of the vintage stores in my house and my art is made by friends.

He used to have a little art gallery and coffee shop called Olly with Alex and Bryan.

We held Jake Feast’s debut art show (now it’s a big deal) and I became obsessed with that painting and decided to buy it.

I tend to buy just fanzines, or a piece from a debut show, or a t-shirt from my fellow artists. It’s really cool to invest in them early in their careers, but also to see how massive they get and how they evolve as creators.

The only other thing I have from Olly is my zebra plant and it was the first plant I managed to keep alive.

I’m tremendously nostalgic and sentimental, so I keep everything my friends do to myself.

Ahnand Unka designed the “dance for democracy poster” in 2016. All the bands are amazing people I know from when I was working at Neck of the Woods.

Anthony Tonin made me speak at one of his concerts in Whanganui. He did an independent rock tour on the importance and beauty of the railroad.

My partner James Hunt is another artist and he got me the Taxis card for Christmas.

I keep insisting on mental health, but I don’t think it’s enough. We talk a lot about mental health as a burden that people have to carry individually. But really, mental wellness is a community. So I surround myself with reminders of myself.

John Reynolds is friends with my partner Deb, who runs an art therapy workshop for grieving children. Because a group of kids were going on a school strike for the weather, they painted some posters and that’s from John.

My lily of peace has stood the test of time. I also have a monstera, which I have managed to grow. I can’t have a pet because I travel a lot, but I’m really happy that I do better with my plants than with my Neopet.