The Taxpayers’ Union has today launched its Taxpayer Manifesto 2026, setting out five bottom lines it wants every political party seeking to form the next Government to address.
The manifesto is designed as both an election checklist and a starting point for coalition negotiations after 7 November.
Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams said:
“New Zealand is heading into this election with government debt equivalent to $140,000 per household, no Budget surplus forecast this decade, rates soaring and a public service that has grown dramatically.
"Political parties spend election campaigns telling voters what they want to do with taxpayers’ money. This manifesto turns that around and asks what taxpayers should expect from the next Government. Doing more of the same is not an option.
“These are not vague principles. We have set out practical reforms on tax, spending, accountability, local government and regulation that parties can either back or explain why they won’t.”
The five bottom lines are:
1. Stop taxing New Zealanders more
The manifesto is designed as both an election checklist and a starting point for coalition negotiations after 7 November.
Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams said:
“New Zealand is heading into this election with government debt equivalent to $140,000 per household, no Budget surplus forecast this decade, rates soaring and a public service that has grown dramatically.
"Political parties spend election campaigns telling voters what they want to do with taxpayers’ money. This manifesto turns that around and asks what taxpayers should expect from the next Government. Doing more of the same is not an option.
“These are not vague principles. We have set out practical reforms on tax, spending, accountability, local government and regulation that parties can either back or explain why they won’t.”
The five bottom lines are:
1. Stop taxing New Zealanders more
- Rule out new taxes, including wealth, death and new capital gains taxes.
- Automatically index income tax thresholds to inflation.
- Move towards lower and flatter income tax rates.
- Introduce full expensing for business investment.
- Keep GST broad and simple.
2. Cut waste and balance the books
- Work towards a cap of 25 percent of GDP on core Crown spending.
- Cut the core public service headcount back below 47,251.
- Introduce zero-based budget reviews.
- End corporate welfare.
- Bring public-sector pay and entitlements back into line with comparable private-sector roles.
3. Make government answer to taxpayers
- Extend the Official Information Act to Parliament.
- Proactively publish significant financial information.
- Give ministers greater responsibility for the departments they oversee.
- Keep the Reserve Bank focused on inflation.
- Make performance matter across the public sector.
4. Put councils back in their lane
- Introduce an immediate inflation-linked cap on rates, fees and levies.
- Require a binding referendum before council amalgamations.
- Restrict councils to clearly defined core functions.
- Give elected councillors proper rights to council information.
- Reserve voting rights for elected members and introduce recall referendums.
5. Let New Zealand build and grow
- Restore stronger property rights in resource management law.
- Require government compensation when regulation materially restricts property.
- Remove regulatory barriers that protect incumbent businesses.
- Force agencies to quantify the cost of major new regulation.
- Introduce sunset clauses so regulations must be periodically justified or expire.
The full Taxpayer Manifesto is available at www.taxpayers.org.nz/taxpayer_manifesto_2026
