If We Want a Prosperous Country Again, We Need to Cut Government Waste

Responding to Damien O’Connor’s comments to the Red Meat Sector Conference that we “probably don’t have enough tax in this country […] If we want to continue to run our economy the way we have run it in the past, we are going to have to contribute more”, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Callum Purves, said:

“This Government’s default response is always to take more of New Zealanders’ hard-earned money. We are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis caused by dangerous levels of wasteful overspending, and this comment shows how little regard O’Connor has for the working families of this country.”

“Core Crown spending has increased by 67.9% since 2017, from 27.7% of GDP up to 32.5% in just six short years. Despite taxpayers’ money being thrown at them hand over fist, who can honestly say that Government services have improved in this time?”

“The issue is a Government culture which sees no issue with wasting billions on consultants, middle-managers and vanity projects. If we want a prosperous economy again, we need to start cutting the waste.”