Nominations now open for the 2023 Jonesie Waste Awards

On the 17th of August, The Taxpayers' Union will be hosting the 6th annual Jonesie Waste Awards, live from Parliament. 

Nominations have now opened for the awards of Local Government, Central Government and Lifetime Achievement.

What are the Jonesie Waste Awards? The Jonesie Waste Awards is an unapologetic yet tongue-in-cheek recognition of the most memorable acts of government waste, excessive regulation, and inefficiency. It's an opportunity to hold those in power accountable for their actions and bring attention to the issues that matter most.

Click here to watch last years Jonesie Awards!

Tell us who deserves to be honoured with a Jonesie this year below!

Deadline for nominations end of day Thursday the 10th of August 2023.

Showing 214 reactions

  • Jake Stone
    commented 2023-07-26 17:52:56 +1200
    Jacinta Ardern

    She is a two faced bitch who distracted everyone with covid and made racist changes behind everyone’s backs.

    She has escalated racism in New Zealand

    Rot in hell Jacinta, I hope you get what you deserve.
  • Geoff Henry
    commented 2023-07-26 17:25:34 +1200
    Wellington City Council: Mad expenditure on cycleways, parking bans in the city and the lunatic policies of “Let’s get Wellington Moving” (all of which seem targeted at stopping all movement in the city!)
  • Murray Dudfield
    commented 2023-07-26 16:50:53 +1200
    Fire and Emergency NZ – Lack of accountability in the spending of public money. (Detailed evidence can be provided.)
  • Gillian Patterson
    commented 2023-07-26 16:43:44 +1200
    Michael Wood for the huge amount of money wasted on everything he touched while Transport Minister

    Ardern and Blomfield for the cost and lost opportunities caused by too many lockdowns and bombardment of covid ads.
  • Alistair Rowe
    commented 2023-07-26 16:33:40 +1200
    Willow Jean Prime for offering $3,500 bonuses to staff who become proficient in Te Reo Māori even though such proficiency has no bearing on their ability to do the work they are employed to do.
  • James Collins
    commented 2023-07-26 16:03:01 +1200
    Tory Whanau – For doubling Wellingtons debt in less than 1 year.
  • David Knox
    commented 2023-07-26 15:13:59 +1200
    jacinda ardern
  • John Clements
    commented 2023-07-26 15:13:21 +1200
    Labour Government – destroyed the country and cost us billions. It is a great time to recognise them just before the elections.
  • Edward Byrne
    commented 2023-07-26 15:00:28 +1200
    The current Government
  • Bruce Church
    commented 2023-07-26 13:26:31 +1200
    Anyone who publishes Maori titles – specifically Government Departments (and Waka Kotahi on Road signs) – without an English description
  • Kelvin Dunn
    commented 2023-07-26 13:18:44 +1200
    Waipa District Council for their formal “Blessing” of the painting of a bridge in October 2022! Attended by 23 people including two Cambridge Councillors, Members of the Community Board, Council Staff, Contractors and, of course, Maori. This from a council that discriminates against parts of the district with its failure to provide proper basic services such as drain and gutter cleaning and leaf fall collection (among others). Stated by Dawn Inglis (Service Deliver Manager and misnomer title given councils abject failure to equitably provide services including fixing potholes among other needs) that is was “important that we acknowledge the history of the area and those who came before us”. Such recognition already established by the presence of a public service notice board and very large memorial stone!
  • Noel Reid
    commented 2023-07-26 13:06:04 +1200
    ?? Just submitted nominations ??
  • Noel Reid
    commented 2023-07-26 13:04:59 +1200
    Central Govt = $0.5Bn wasted in Covid tests/vaccinations

    Local Govt = Auck Council signing up for a new Albany office for 600 staff
  • David Bruce
    commented 2023-07-26 13:00:20 +1200
    Michael Woods,for wasting taxpayers money on bridge over Waitemata for Lycra brigade,for insisting on light rail to airport when costings are unknown.
  • Guy Walmsley
    commented 2023-07-26 12:42:04 +1200
    Minister of Transport (David Parker).. Agreeing to fund / promote the silliest, non attainable ever, campaign … “The road to zero”.
  • Darryl Paterson
    commented 2023-07-26 12:32:49 +1200
    Jacinda Ardern as she made our country spend millions of dollars on a vaccine for a illness which was no worse then the common flu, she then locked down our country costing many people their livelihoods and decimating small businesses
  • Yvonne Hoyle
    commented 2023-07-26 12:23:27 +1200
    Auckland City Council for paying Big 4 global accounting firms and top New Zealand law firms $1000 per day in fees over the past 5 years totalling $190 million.
  • Nick Williams
    commented 2023-07-26 12:01:22 +1200
    Auckland Council for wasting money on sign writing council cars with a message that they are not permitted to go over the speed limit.
  • Stephen Royds
    commented 2023-07-26 10:57:01 +1200
    The Current Governments media department for the constant barrage of adds on all media outlets that are nothing short of propaganda brainwashing for there ideas & are never disclosed as that or at least as “fact checked” a “opinion” paid for by … & the amount of tax dollars spent has gone undivulged for their entire term.

    Obviously this has not been bought up or investigated by the media that would be out of business without this huge advertising income but why has the Opposition party’s not noticed this ?

    Many countries require disclosure of advertising budgets during elections & that it comes from the party’s fund so as not to come from the tax payers !
  • Ray Foss
    commented 2023-07-26 10:32:55 +1200
    Marama Davidson . For wasting taxpayers money as a politician for declaring all white men are rapists .
  • Trevor Smith
    commented 2023-07-26 10:31:29 +1200
    Jacinda Adhern

    Her salary was the biggest waste of money ever spent by the NZ Government.
  • Ray Foss
    commented 2023-07-26 10:27:22 +1200
  • Peter Ryan
    commented 2023-07-26 10:26:40 +1200
    Michael Wood for the $50m spent on investigating the possibility of a walk bridge over the Waitemata
  • Gary Black
    commented 2023-07-26 10:13:26 +1200
    CentreLink
  • Usha Ch
    commented 2023-07-26 10:06:57 +1200
    Rawiri Waititi. The most antipakeha and corrosive MP NZ has ever known. But he cant

    resist wearing a Stetson designed by a colonial in Texas — the most red neck state of the

    US. Does not have the mana to remove his ridiculous hat in Parliament which show his lack of manners, courtesy and mana, of men removing their hats inside, like we all remove our shoes

    when we enter somebody’s home.
  • Pork Pie
    commented 2023-07-26 10:04:12 +1200
    Waka Kotahi

    For building a future proof highway for Kumeu only to find it closed for a potential landslide in less than 12 months
  • Pork Pie
    commented 2023-07-26 10:03:13 +1200
    Whoever the clown was that sent cost of living payments to dead people
  • Pork Pie
    commented 2023-07-26 10:02:21 +1200
    David Parker

    For commissioning an expensive in-depth witch hunt report of NZ’s wealthiest families and their unrealised capital gains to try and influence tax policy that wasn’t going to be backed by his leader
  • Jon Orr
    commented 2023-07-26 10:00:12 +1200
    Dam Jacinda Ardern

    For laying Waste to NZ’s Huge potential.

    Chip Hipkins

    For leaving Covid Mandates in place when business’s are still struggling to recover from the beating they have taken over the last few years.
  • Usha Ch
    commented 2023-07-26 09:52:31 +1200