Campaigns

Highlights

Like all pressure groups, the Taxpayers’ Union seeks to change public policy by winning the hearts and minds of New Zealanders, which in turn influences politicians. We are not a think tank – while we conduct our own research and use that of other traditional think tanks and industry groups, our strength is translating those ideas for a broad, engaged audience.

As a political “battle tank”, our value lies in shaping the public debate and ensuring politicians respond.

2026 Election Bribe-O-Meter

Cap Rates Now War on Waste Debt Clock

We believe that new taxes should only be introduced when there are equal decreases in other taxes.

Campaign archive

Stop Three Waters

Introduction Our Stop Three Waters campaign fought the Labour Government’s water reforms, which would have stripped local communities of control over their water assets. With growing opposition being ignored by the media, we took the fight directly to New Zealanders and made Three Waters impossible to ignore. Actions taken Toured 39 towns and cities across New Zealand Mobilised our grassroots supporters to oppose the reforms Put pressure on councils and councillors to stand against Three Waters Generated nearly 69,000 submissions opposing the reforms Gathered more than 100,000 petition signatures Helped turn Three Waters into the...

MPs' Perks

Introduction MPs are paid well to represent New Zealanders, but salaries are only part of the story. Taxpayers also fund accommodation, travel, allowances and a range of other parliamentary entitlements, so the Taxpayers’ Union works to ensure MPs’ pay and perks are transparent, reasonable and tied to the realities facing the people who pay for them. Actions taken We have consistently challenged excessive increases in MPs’ pay and taxpayer-funded perks, called for greater transparency around parliamentary spending, and opposed special treatment that ordinary New Zealanders would never receive. That has included scrutinising salary increases set...

Nosey Parker

Our Nosey Parker campaign fought to overturn sweeping powers rushed through by the Labour Government during COVID that allowed IRD to demand deeply personal information from taxpayers, even when it had nothing to do with their tax obligations. We mobilised thousands of New Zealanders to push back against the intrusion and spent three years campaigning to restore taxpayers’ privacy, and we won in 2025, with Revenue Minister Simon Watts announcing that the powers under Section 17GB will be scrapped.

Ute Tax

Our Ute Tax campaign fought Labour's Clean Car Discount, which unfairly hit farmers, tradies, rural communities and families who relied on utes and other higher-emitting vehicles. We mobilised tens of thousands of New Zealanders through petitions, bumper stickers, signs and grassroots campaigning, while keeping the pressure on National to commit to scrapping the tax. Following the 2023 election, the Ute Tax was scrapped, along with the subsidies for electric vehicles.

Robbo's Removals

Our Robbo’s Removals tongue in cheek “removal company” took aim at Grant Robertson’s record as Finance Minister, highlighting how soaring government spending, debt and poor economic management were contributing to skilled Kiwis packing up and leaving New Zealand. The Robbo’s Removals van and props attended election debates and political events across the country to put Labour’s economic record front and centre during the 2023 election campaign.

Ute Tax 2.0

Our Stop Ute Tax 2.0 campaign fought plans to impose Fringe Benefit Tax on utes and other work vehicles, a tax grab IRD estimated would cost farmers, tradies and other vehicle owners $100 million a year. We exposed the plans and mobilised thousands of Kiwis to email National MPs demanding they be scrapped. Within just six hours of launching our campaign, the Prime Minister intervened and confirmed Ute Tax 2.0 would not proceed.

Nicola's Fudge (2025)

Introduction Nicola’s Fudge took aim at Finance Minister Nicola Willis for “fudging” the Government’s promises to rein in spending, debt and public sector bureaucracy. Fronted by former Finance Minister Ruth Richardson, the campaign put the Government’s fiscal record firmly in the spotlight. Actions taken Produced 1,000 boxes of specially branded Nicola’s Fudge Distributed them to MPs, journalists and key decision-makers Produced a campaign video that reached 1.5 million views Used humour and satire to generate national attention around government spending and debt Where are we now? The campaign gained international recognition at the 2026 Reed...

Votes at 16 (2023)

Our campaign fought Labour’s attempt to lower the voting age to 16 for local elections, arguing that such a fundamental change to New Zealand’s democracy should be decided by voters through a referendum, not rushed through Parliament. With the media giving the issue little attention, we blew the whistle through nationwide newspaper and online advertising and publicly pressured the Government not to pass the Bill under urgency. The pressure worked, and Labour backed down, sending the Bill to the Justice Select Committee instead, and preventing the change from being rushed into law before the 2023...

Advertising (Anti-Discrimination for Publicly-funded Media) Bill (2024)

This campaign fought to stop taxpayer-funded media companies from discriminating against political and advocacy advertising based on editorial preference. After NZME moved to screen advocacy ads before offering advertising space, we fought back and had a Parliamentary Bill drafted that would require publicly funded media to act as common carriers for lawful advertising, protecting the ability of advocacy groups to speak directly to New Zealanders without being censored by media companies.

Scrap the App Tax

Our Scrap the App Tax campaign fought GST changes that increased costs for New Zealanders using accommodation, food-delivery and ride-sharing platforms. After campaigning against the tax in Opposition, National decided to keep it once in Government, so we mobilised thousands of supporters to email Finance Minister Nicola Willis and hold the Government to its pre-election commitment to scrap the tax.

IRD Data Leak

Introduction Our Stop IRD’s Data Leaks campaign fought Inland Revenue’s practice of sharing taxpayers’ personal data with overseas social media giants like Facebook and Google for targeted advertising. We exposed how taxpayers’ information was being used and demanded IRD put an end to the practice. Actions taken Exposed IRD’s sharing of taxpayer data with overseas social media companies Mobilised 9,000 supporters to complain directly to IRD Forced greater scrutiny of IRD’s data-sharing practices Forced IRD to identify a separate breach involving the unprotected personal information of 268,000 taxpayers Pressured IRD to notify those affected and...

Fuel Tax (2022)

Introduction Our Cut Fuel Taxes campaign fought to ease the pain at the pump, where taxes made up more than half the price Aucklanders were paying for petrol. We called on the Government to give motorists immediate relief by cutting the tax burden on fuel. Actions taken Refunded motorists the tax portion of their petrol at a Takapuna petrol station Put the cost of fuel taxes on the six o’clock news Mobilised more than 11,000 New Zealanders to sign our petition calling for relief Built public pressure on the Government to cut fuel taxes Policy...

Ratepayer Protection Pledge (2025)

The Ratepayer Protection Pledge put local election candidates on the record about whether they would stand up for ratepayers. Launched ahead of the 2025 local elections, we asked mayoral and council candidates across New Zealand to commit to keeping rates increases within inflation and population growth, opening council spending to greater public scrutiny, and opposing unelected appointments with spending and regulatory powers. We published every candidate who signed the pledge, giving voters a clear way to see who was committed to lower rates, greater transparency and democratic accountability.

CCCFA Retrospective Law Changes (2025)

This campaign fought a retrospective law change that would have protected ANZ and ASB from a major consumer class action by rewriting the rules after the alleged breaches had occurred. We exposed the banks’ lobbying, took the campaign directly to MPs and National Party members, and mobilised thousands of New Zealanders to pressure Ministers to scrap the changes. The team even wrote a “love letter” from the banks to National MPs that were shared at the National Party Conference. We won in October 2025, when the Government backed down and dropped the retrospective law...

Axe the ‘Taniwha Tax’ (2016)

The Taniwha Tax campaign fought Auckland Council rules that would have forced thousands of property owners to obtain costly cultural impact assessments before developing their land, including for thousands of supposed sites of cultural value that had never been properly verified. Working with the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance, Democracy Action and the Auckland Property Investors Association, we exposed the flaws in the rules, published a briefing paper and mobilised opposition through a public petition. The campaign delivered a comprehensive victory. In 2016, the Independent Hearings Panel recommended removing the cultural impact assessment requirements and all...

Investment Boost (2025)

Our Go for Growth campaign made the case for Full Capital Expensing, allowing businesses to immediately deduct the cost of new equipment, machinery and technology to boost investment, productivity and wages. Ahead of Budget 2025, we published a detailed briefing paper, built public support and pushed the Government to adopt the policy. The campaign secured a partial win: Budget 2025 introduced the Investment Boost, allowing businesses to immediately deduct 20 percent of the cost of new assets, a step towards the full expensing we continue to advocate for.

Fair Digital News (2024)

Our campaign to Scrap the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill fought the Government’s decision to revive Willie Jackson’s scheme to force large digital platforms to pay news media companies. We argued the policy amounted to a media bailout and risked driving news off social media, as had happened overseas, and mobilised more than 5,500 New Zealanders to write directly to Ministers calling for the Bill to be scrapped or, at minimum, sent back to Select Committee.

Axe This Tax (2019)

Our Axe This Tax campaign fought the Tax Working Group’s proposed capital gains tax, which would have imposed a major new tax on New Zealanders’ savings, investments and businesses. We built a nationwide campaign combining research, advertising and grassroots mobilisation through AxeThisTax.nz, putting sustained public pressure on the Government to reject the proposal. The campaign delivered a major victory for taxpayers. In 2019, the Government abandoned plans for a capital gains tax.

Restore 10-year passports (2014)

Our Restore 10-Year Passports campaign fought to reverse New Zealand’s costly five-year passport regime, which forced Kiwis to renew their passports twice as often while paying some of the highest passport costs in the world. We made the case for restoring ten-year passports and pushed the Government to review the rules. The campaign delivered a win for taxpayers and travellers, with Parliament backing the return of ten-year passports and the Government restoring them in 2015.

Fair Tax for Savers (2014)

Working alongside Age Concern, Consumer NZ and the Financial Services Council, we campaigned for fairer taxation of KiwiSaver and term-deposit savings, arguing that the tax system unfairly penalised New Zealanders for putting money aside for their future. We took the campaign nationwide, distributing more than 120,000 campaign postcards through print media and building public pressure for a tax system that treated savers more fairly.

End taxpayer funding of the Clinton Health Access Initiative (2013-19)

Our campaign to end taxpayer funding of the Clinton Health Access Initiative challenged the use of New Zealand’s foreign aid budget to fund the international organisation. Over nearly three years, we kept pressure on the Government and mobilised almost 7,000 New Zealanders to sign our petition calling for the funding to end. The campaign delivered a victory for taxpayers in 2019, when the Government halted further funding.

Scrapping Fees Free

Our Scrap Fees Free campaign fought the Government’s costly tertiary education policy from its inception in 2017, which shifted the cost of study onto taxpayers without delivering the promised increase in participation. We exposed waste within the scheme, including more than $1.1 million spent subsidising commercial skydiving courses, and consistently made the case that taxpayers should not be forced to fund a policy that disproportionately benefited future higher earners. The campaign ultimately delivered a policy victory, with Fees Free scrapped and the scheme set to end entirely in 2026.

Taxpayer Gang Funding (2021-26)

Our Stop Taxpayer Funding for Gangs campaign was launched after the Government awarded a $2.75 million drug rehabilitation contract associated with the Mongrel Mob. We exposed the use of taxpayer money to fund gangs and gang-linked organisations, mobilised New Zealanders through petitions and advertising, and spent years pushing for tougher rules to ensure public money could not be funnelled to criminal organisations.

Stop the jobs tax (2022-23)

Our Stop the Jobs Tax campaign fought Labour’s proposed Income Insurance Scheme, which would have imposed a new compulsory levy on workers and employers to fund unemployment insurance. We campaigned against the scheme, mobilised New Zealanders to oppose the new tax on jobs, and kept pressure on the Government to abandon it. The campaign delivered a win in 2023, when Prime Minister Chris Hipkins put the scheme on ice.

Te Mana o Te Wai

The Scrap Te Mana o te Wai campaign is fighting to remove Labour’s freshwater framework, which puts vague and subjective concepts at the heart of water regulation and leaves councils and ratepayers facing costly and uncertain rules. We exposed the millions councils are spending implementing the framework, challenged Ministers to scrap it, and mobilised thousands of New Zealanders to submit directly to the Government. The campaign continues as we push the Coalition to fully repeal Te Mana o te Wai and replace it with clear, practical and democratically accountable rules for managing freshwater.