Nicola Willis Heeds Taxpayers’ Union’s Calls for Public Finance Reform

Responding to Nicola Willis’ post-cabinet announcement that strengthening of the Public Finance Act is being considered, Taxpayers’ Union spokesman, Jordan Williams, said:

“Earlier today, the Taxpayers’ Union wrote to Nicola Willis calling for precisely what has been announced.  We need to know how Ruth Richardson’s pioneering Fiscal Responsibility Reform - explicitly intended to prevent post-election ‘fiscal surprises’ left for incoming governments – appears to have failed.

“It is absolutely essential for the public to understand the challenges faced. You can’t solve a problem, until you understand it, and it is a shame that this year’s HYFEU will be more significant than ever.

“We repeat our earlier call for a ministerial or select committee inquiry to call witnesses and get to the bottom of how the Treasury have let New Zealander voters and MPs down. Are changes to legislation is really required, or was this a case of the law not being followed? If the latter, clear public accountability – including heads rolling – is the best and only preventative measure.”

A copy of the letter is available here.