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  1. Taxpayer Update: NEW POLL: NZ First climbs 📈 | Labour’s fiscal plan unraveling 🧮 | 664k for cats in the Middle East 🐈

     Hi,A shorter update today after Monday’s bumper Taxpayer Update, but we wanted to get our latest Taxpayers’ Union–Curia Poll into your inbox while it’s fresh.We’ve also got James finding more holes in Labour’s fiscal plan, a foreign aid policy win, $664,805 for a documentary about cats in the...

    Read more about Taxpayer Update: NEW POLL: NZ First climbs 📈 | Labour’s fiscal plan unraveling 🧮 | 664k for cats in the Middle East 🐈

  2. Labour’s fiscal plan problems show why New Zealand needs independent policy costings

    Further questions over Labour’s fiscal plan prove the case for an Independent Fiscal Institution, says Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf:“Labour’s $90 million error was bad enough. Now further questions over what is and isn’t funded in its fiscal plan show exactly why election promises need independent scrutiny.”“School lunch...

    Read more about Labour’s fiscal plan problems show why New Zealand needs independent policy costings

  4. Nationals Foreign Aid Savings Put More Money Into Medicines

    The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming National’s plan to redirect foreign aid spending into Pharmac, with a 10 percent reduction in the International Development Cooperation budget, moving $604 million to help Pharmac fund more new medicines.Taxpayers’ Union spokesman, Rhys Hurley, said:“Redirecting hundreds of millions from foreign aid into medicines...

    Read more about Nationals Foreign Aid Savings Put More Money Into Medicines

  5. Taxpayer Update: Labour’s missing $5.5b 💸 | Greens’ $1,980-a-household trains 🚆 | ACT takes aim at KiwiSaver 📈

    📌 View Online | 🚀 Share on Facebook Hi,Parliament may have packed up for the election, but the spending promises certainly haven’t.This week our Bribe-O-Meter unearthed another $10 billion of Labour commitments, one little-noticed foreign aid promise turned into a full-blown campaign issue, and Labour’s long-awaited fiscal plan finally landed.Elsewhere,...

    Read more about Taxpayer Update: Labour’s missing $5.5b 💸 | Greens’ $1,980-a-household trains 🚆 | ACT takes aim at KiwiSaver 📈

  9. Taxpayer Talk: Oliver Hartwich on Germany’s Political Meltdown and What NZ Can Learn

    Germany’s politics are fracturing, its economy is stalling, and once-dominant parties are being squeezed by populist challengers on both the left and right.Jordan is joined by Oliver Hartwich from the New Zealand Initiative for a special look at what is going wrong in Germany, from the rise of...

    Read more about Taxpayer Talk: Oliver Hartwich on Germany’s Political Meltdown and What NZ Can Learn

  10. ACT's KiwiSaver tax relief a win for workers, but could go further

    Responding to ACT's proposal to remove tax on KiwiSaver investment earnings, Taxpayers' Union Policy Analyst Austin Ellingham-Banks said:“ACT is right to stop taxing KiwiSaver investment earnings. If the goal is to help people build bigger retirement savings, taxing the returns along the way makes little sense."“Other parties want...

    Read more about ACT's KiwiSaver tax relief a win for workers, but could go further

  12. Bribe-O-Meter Week 4: Labour hides a $2,662-per-household foreign aid bill in its $10 billion week.

    Labour has announced $10.43 billion in new spending in Week 4 of the Taxpayers' Union's Bribe-O-Meter. That is $5,034 for every household in the country, in the space of seven days.Labour's plan to build 6,000 additional state houses, and repair schools and hospitals is costed at $4.3 billion. Its...

    Read more about Bribe-O-Meter Week 4: Labour hides a $2,662-per-household foreign aid bill in its $10 billion week.

  16. Better Starts Later: Labour says Treasury's wrong, but won’t show its own numbers

    The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on Labour to release its own costing for its pay equity policy after disputing Treasury’s figures but refusing to provide an alternative.Taxpayers’ Union spokeswoman, Ella Dickson, said:“Treasury’s own projections put the cost at $10.97 billion. Labour disputes that figure, but Barbara Edmonds still...

    Read more about Better Starts Later: Labour says Treasury's wrong, but won’t show its own numbers

  17. Time to Put Local Elections Under the Electoral Commission

    The Taxpayers’ Union says Auckland Council’s decision to move away from postal voting strengthens the case for putting local elections in the hands of the Electoral Commission.Taxpayers’ Union spokesman, Rhys Hurley, said:“After the voting ‘irregularities’ in Papatoetoe, Auckland Council was right that the current postal system is not fit...

    Read more about Time to Put Local Elections Under the Electoral Commission

  18. PREFU’s fragile recovery means parties must revisit their spending plans

    The Taxpayers’ Union says Treasury’s latest PREFU shows just how little room there is for another spending blowout, even as parties on the left promise tens of billions of dollars in new spending.Taxpayers’ Union spokesman James Ross said:“After years of deficits, the books are finally crawling back towards the black. Even...

    Read more about PREFU’s fragile recovery means parties must revisit their spending plans

  19. No debt paid down this decade

    The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the latest Treasury forecasts of an OBEGAL surplus by 2028/29, but points out that an operating surplus is not enough to pay down debt.Taxpayers' Union spokesman James Ross said:“The Government will be keen to say it’s back on track to surplus, and on...

    Read more about No debt paid down this decade

  21. Labour’s accounting trick doesn’t make student debt disappear

    The Taxpayers’ Union says Labour’s promise to wipe 10 percent off eligible student loansis a $583 million election bribe that would be dumped onto taxpayers.Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Rhys Hurley said:“Labour is trying to buy back voters with taxpayers’ money. But writing off student debt doesn’t make it disappear....

    Read more about Labour’s accounting trick doesn’t make student debt disappear

  22. Taxpayer Update: A tough week, but we’re still fighting 💪 | TOP blows past $100k on Bribe-O-Meter 🪎 | An OIA scandal? 🤐

    📌 View Online | 🚀 Share on Facebook Hi,It's been a tough week here at Taxpayer HQ.And while a certain "journalist" 🤨 has kept us busy, the actual work fighting for taxpayers has continued.Jordan took on Jack Tame and prosecuted the case for a fiscal reality check on TV1's Q+A,...

    Read more about Taxpayer Update: A tough week, but we’re still fighting 💪 | TOP blows past $100k on Bribe-O-Meter 🪎 | An OIA scandal? 🤐

  23. Bribe-O-Meter Week 3: Opportunity join the Greens in the $100k-per-household club

    In Week 3 of the Taxpayers' Union's Bribe-O-Meter, Labour has proposed requiring supermarkets to operate their wholesale and retail arms separately, and to make price gouging illegal. The direct cost to taxpayers is limited to additional Commerce Commission enforcement capacity, which we have costed at $88.6 million, or $42.75...

    Read more about Bribe-O-Meter Week 3: Opportunity join the Greens in the $100k-per-household club

  26. Whistleblower Claims Show OIA Investigation Must Be Public Service Wide

    The Taxpayers’ Union says new whistleblower allegations that attempts to avoid Official Information Act scrutiny are not isolated strengthen the case for a Public Service Commission investigation across the public service.Taxpayers’ Union Investigative Lead, Rhys Hurley, said:“Yesterday we asked whether this was an isolated incident or part of...

    Read more about Whistleblower Claims Show OIA Investigation Must Be Public Service Wide

  27. Taxpayers’ Union Board Categorically Rejects Hager Allegation

    The Taxpayers’ Union Board has issued a categorical denial of allegations made by Nicky Hager concerning an alleged sexual harassment settlement.Taxpayers’ Union Chair Ruth Richardson said:“The Taxpayers’ Union Board categorically denies Nicky Hager’s allegation that the organisation has ever made any payment to settle a sexual harassment claim...

    Read more about Taxpayers’ Union Board Categorically Rejects Hager Allegation

  28. We're under attack

    Friend,The Taxpayers’ Union is under attack.This evening, Nicky Hager released his new book, Dirty Work. As we feared, it is an attack on the Taxpayers’ Union, me personally, and my co-founder David Farrar.Hager calls himself a journalist. But yet again he has ignored the most basic principles of fair...

    Read more about We're under attack

  29. Greens right to close the Beehive-to-lobbying revolving door

    The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the Green Party’s proposal for a two-year stand-down period preventing former Ministers from immediately becoming lobbyists.Taxpayers’ Union spokeswoman, Ella Dickson, said:“Ministers shouldn’t be able to walk out of the Beehive on Friday and into a lobbying job on Monday, selling the access and...

    Read more about Greens right to close the Beehive-to-lobbying revolving door

  30. Thousands of businesses likely late on PAYE payments through no fault of their own

    The Taxpayers' Union is calling on IRD to be lenient and pursue Westpac, not small business owners, after thousands of Westpac One customers were affected by yesterday's eight-hour outage on the same day PAYE employer deductions for the August period were due."Yesterday, we received reports that many Westpac...

    Read more about Thousands of businesses likely late on PAYE payments through no fault of their own

  31. Taxpayers’ Union Backs Labour Call for OIA Investigation

    The Taxpayers’ Union is backing Labour’s call for a Public Service Commission investigation into allegations that Ministry of Education staff were told to avoid putting information in writing because it could be requested under the Official Information Act.Taxpayers’ Union Investigative Lead, Rhys Hurley, said:“Labour is bang on to...

    Read more about Taxpayers’ Union Backs Labour Call for OIA Investigation

  32. Labour finally sees sense on interest deductibility

    The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming Chris Hipkins’ confirmation that Labour will leave interest deductibility for rental properties alone.Taxpayers’ Union spokeswoman, Ella Dickson, said:“Labour’s decision to deny landlords a deduction for a legitimate cost of providing rental property distorted the tax system from the start.“When the rules were reversed,...

    Read more about Labour finally sees sense on interest deductibility

  33. Taxpayer Talk: “You’re not special!” - Simon Watts on the local government reforms failing ratepayers

     Jordan Williams sits down with Simon Watts, Minister of Local Government, for a frank conversation on the Government’s local government reforms.From scrapping Three Waters and introducing rates caps to co-governance in water entities, councillor access to information, unelected committee members, and council amalgamations, this episode puts the Minister...

    Read more about Taxpayer Talk: “You’re not special!” - Simon Watts on the local government reforms failing ratepayers

  34. Taxpayer Update: Willis shuts the door on asset sales 🚪 | Bureaucracy’s $52k goodbye 💸 | Blakeley under pressure 🚨

    Hi,The silly season officially starts when Parliament rises next week for the election. So rather than just moan about all the "bad" things politicians are promising, we've set out the "good" in what we're calling our Taxpayer Manifesto - a set of policies to set our country on course for...

    Read more about Taxpayer Update: Willis shuts the door on asset sales 🚪 | Bureaucracy’s $52k goodbye 💸 | Blakeley under pressure 🚨

  36. Taxpayer Manifesto Sets Five Bottom Lines For Next Government

    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...

    Read more about Taxpayer Manifesto Sets Five Bottom Lines For Next Government

  39. Bribe-O-Meter Week 2: Labour and Opportunity spend big, while Greens go to ground

    Bribe-O-Meter Week 2: Labour and Opportunity spend big, while Greens go to groundLabour has topped the second week of the Taxpayers’ Union’s Bribe-O-Meter, announcing around $421 million of new spending commitments, while most parties have kept their powder dry.Labour’s promise to increase KiwiSaver employer contributions and continue contributions...

    Read more about Bribe-O-Meter Week 2: Labour and Opportunity spend big, while Greens go to ground

  41. Willis talks bracket creep: here’s what the tax brackets should be

    Responding to Nicola Willis’s comments that National will address bracket creep, the Taxpayers’ Union says the 30 percent income tax threshold should already be $56,801.95 and the 33 percent threshold $82,920.23. The figures come from the our briefing paper The Inflation Tax, which shows where income tax thresholds would sit...

    Read more about Willis talks bracket creep: here’s what the tax brackets should be

  42. Greens can’t keep hiding behind Parliamentary secrecy

    The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick to waive the secrecy afforded to her under Parliament’s OIA carve-out and release the Parliamentary Library costings behind the party’s $1.3 billion KiwiMart acquisition claim.Taxpayers’ Union spokesman James Ross said:“The Greens’ KiwiMart numbers clearly don’t add up....

    Read more about Greens can’t keep hiding behind Parliamentary secrecy

  46. Who Needs Another Layer of Arts Bureaucracy? Time to Scrap Creative NZ

    The Taxpayers’ Union is calling for Creative New Zealand to be abolished after the agency revealed plans to hand responsibility for distributing up to $40 million a year to a new network of regional organisations.Taxpayers’ Union spokesman, Rhys Hurley, said:“Creative NZ has accidentally designed the case for its...

    Read more about Who Needs Another Layer of Arts Bureaucracy? Time to Scrap Creative NZ

  47. Labour taxes jobs instead of fixing Super

    Labour’s KiwiSaver policy would make employing New Zealanders more expensive while dodging the growing cost of Super altogether, says Taxpayers’ Union Policy Analyst Austin Ellingham-Banks:“Super is forecast to cost taxpayers $12,790-per-household this year, with costs expected to almost triple by 2048. That is the retirement problem politicians should be...

    Read more about Labour taxes jobs instead of fixing Super

  48. Taxpayer Update: Election debates return 🗳️ | Who costed CommieMart? 📚 | ACT takes aim at the carbon tax 🏭

    Hi,Before we get into this week's Taxpayer Update, a big thank you for all the feedback on our 2026 Election Bribe-O-Meter.We can see from the web traffic (and the social media posts) that it is already proving popular. 🙌Two political parties have also been in touch to clarify various policy...

    Read more about Taxpayer Update: Election debates return 🗳️ | Who costed CommieMart? 📚 | ACT takes aim at the carbon tax 🏭

  49. Taxpayer Talk: Grover Norquist on No New Taxes and holding politicians to it

      This week, Jordan is joined by Grover Norquist, founder of Americans for Tax Reform and the man behind the original Taxpayer Protection Pledge, to talk about how a simple promise not to raise taxes became one of the most powerful forces in American conservative politics.With both National and...

    Read more about Taxpayer Talk: Grover Norquist on No New Taxes and holding politicians to it

  50. REVEALED: NZ First Welfare Stand-Down Will Save Millions In Auckland Alone

    The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming New Zealand First’s policy to introduce a 10-year welfare stand-down period for visa holders, with an Official Information Act request showing that this policy would save at least $19.19 million in Auckland Metro alone.New Zealand First’s policy would make all non-citizens ineligible for...

    Read more about REVEALED: NZ First Welfare Stand-Down Will Save Millions In Auckland Alone

  52. Surging OIA Complaints Show Need for Armchair Audits

    The Taxpayers’ Union is calling for councils and government agencies to proactively publish their spending online following another increase in complaints to the Ombudsman over information requests.Taxpayers’ Union Investigative Lead, Rhys Hurley, said:“Complaints against government agencies have risen again to 1,244 in just six months, while complaints against...

    Read more about Surging OIA Complaints Show Need for Armchair Audits

  53. 2026 Election "Bribe-O-Meter" Launched

    After a nine year absence, the Taxpayers’ Union has relaunched its policy costing "Bribe-O-Meter" for the 2026 election, with the first update showing the Greens have already promised $114,139 per household in new spending.The Bribe-O-Meter is the most comprehensive independent policy costing project undertaken in New Zealand. It cuts through the...

    Read more about 2026 Election "Bribe-O-Meter" Launched

  54. Winding Up Waitangi Tribunal Saves Taxpayers Millions

    Welcoming ACT’s policy to complete outstanding historical Treaty claims and disestablish the Waitangi Tribunal once that work is finished, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:“ACT’s plan would still allow the remaining historical claims to be completed, while ending contemporary inquiries that drag taxpayers into costly legal fights over...

    Read more about Winding Up Waitangi Tribunal Saves Taxpayers Millions

  56. Deloitte recycled our homework - ratepayers must get a refund

    The Taxpayers’ Union says Wellington ratepayers deserve their money back after Deloittecharged $435,000 for a report containing major errors.Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tyler Groenewald said:“Charging $435,000 for a report, getting the numbers wrong, then refusing to commit to a refund is quite the business model.“Deloitte used figures from an...

    Read more about Deloitte recycled our homework - ratepayers must get a refund

  60. Speaker must explain dodgy CommieMart costing and taxpayer-funded Green electioneering

    The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Speaker to intervene over the Parliamentary Library’s extraordinarily low costing of the Greens’ plan to nationalise 120 supermarkets and two distribution centres.The Greens' policy announcement cites a Parliamentary Library estimate for their claimed acquisition cost of just $1.3 billion, before another $1.5 billion...

    Read more about Speaker must explain dodgy CommieMart costing and taxpayer-funded Green electioneering

  61. Taxpayer Update: NEW POLL Labour, Opportunity take a tumble 📉 | Chlöe's CommieMart 🤡 | LGNZ employs bogus rates-cap numbers 🧮

    Dear Supporter,It was a huge weekend in terms of election policy - and it's also a big Taxpayers' Union-Curia Poll, hot off the press.Two months out from the election and it looks like Opportunity’s, well, opportunity, may have passed. Both National and Labour slump - Labour plummets this month...

    Read more about Taxpayer Update: NEW POLL Labour, Opportunity take a tumble 📉 | Chlöe's CommieMart 🤡 | LGNZ employs bogus rates-cap numbers 🧮

  62. ACT right to stop exporting Kiwi jobs with carbon tax

    The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming ACT’s plan to reform New Zealand’s climate policy, including cutting the carbon tax, returning ETS revenue to households and protecting Kiwi businesses competing against overseas producers with lower carbon costs.Taxpayers’ Union Spokesman, Rhys Hurley, said:“ACT is recognising pushing production offshore to countries with...

    Read more about ACT right to stop exporting Kiwi jobs with carbon tax

  65. REVEALED: ACT’s infrastructure policy could cut millions in cultural contracting costs

    At least $15.8 million has been spent on iwi and hapū resourcing, cultural monitoring, advisory roles and artwork across just three major transport projects, information obtained by the Taxpayers’ Union reveals.The figures come as ACT today announced a transport policy aimed at stripping ethnicity-based requirements from infrastructure procurement.Official...

    Read more about REVEALED: ACT’s infrastructure policy could cut millions in cultural contracting costs

  67. Taxpayer Talk: Jordan Williams and Oliver Hartwich on MMP Gaming and Overhang Chaos

      Te Pāti Māori’s call for supporters to split their votes has put one of MMP’s strangest quirks back in the spotlight: overhang seats, strategic voting, and whether parties can game the system to change who forms the next government.Jordan is joined by Oliver Hartwich from the New Zealand...

    Read more about Taxpayer Talk: Jordan Williams and Oliver Hartwich on MMP Gaming and Overhang Chaos

  68. Billboards to turn up heat on Roche as Blakeley campaign goes public

    The Taxpayers’ Union will tomorrow launch billboards on Whitmore Street, in view of the Beehive, and Bunny Street as pressure grows on Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche over his refusal to front up on Nic Blakeley’s rejected resignation.The billboards will put the accountability question directly in front...

    Read more about Billboards to turn up heat on Roche as Blakeley campaign goes public

  69. Record-low drinking strengthens case for cutting alcohol tax

    In response to new figures showing alcohol consumption has fallen to record lows, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:“As consumption is falling sharply, particularly among young people, the Government must reassess whether current excise rates can still be justified.”“With drinking at record lows and the hospitality sector already...

    Read more about Record-low drinking strengthens case for cutting alcohol tax

  70. Labour’s living wage pledge means fewer jobs or higher taxes

    Responding to Labour leader Chris Hipkins’ pledge to extend the living wage to all state sector workers, Taxpayers’ Union Policy Analyst Austin Ellingham-Banks said:“Labour wants to pile another cost onto an already-bloated public-sector wage bill. Higher payroll costs have to be paid for through higher taxes, fewer jobs...

    Read more about Labour’s living wage pledge means fewer jobs or higher taxes

  71. Ratepayers deserve maximum value from $2m property purchase

    The Taxpayers’ Union is questioning Horowhenua District Council’s decision to give iwi and hapū first right of refusal over six council-owned Oxford Street properties.Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tyler Groenewald said:“These properties were bought using $2 million of taxpayer-funded Better Off grants. When they are sold, the council’s job should be to...

    Read more about Ratepayers deserve maximum value from $2m property purchase

  72. Reserve Bank hike shows why Labour’s spending plans are dangerous

    Responding to the Reserve Bank’s decision to raise the Official Cash Rate by 25 basis points to 2.75 percent, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:“Another OCR hike is a reminder that governments cannot spend their way to prosperity. Excessive government spending helped fuel inflation, and taxpayers are still...

    Read more about Reserve Bank hike shows why Labour’s spending plans are dangerous

  74. Farmers Slugged With NAIT Tax Hike

    The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming OSPRI’s levy hike on farmers to fund a new National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) system.Taxpayers’ Union Investigative Lead, Rhys Hurley, said:“Farmers already have to wrestle with a notoriously difficult system, riddled with stories of its failures over the years. Now they’re being...

    Read more about Farmers Slugged With NAIT Tax Hike

  76. REVEALED: WINZ’s $236 Million Bond Grant Black Hole

    The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that the Ministry of Social Development approved 155,103 rental bond grants worth $236,121,897 since 2023, but cannot report the total debt repaid.MSD refused to provide repayment and write-off data, saying it would require substantial manual collation from individual client files.Taxpayers’ Union Investigative Lead,...

    Read more about REVEALED: WINZ’s $236 Million Bond Grant Black Hole

  78. Taxpayer Talk: Paul Henry on ACT, Tax Cuts, and Taking an Axe to Wellington

     In this episode of Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams is joined by broadcaster-turned-ACT candidate Paul Henry for a lively, wide-ranging conversation on the campaign, the state of the centre-right, and why he thinks this election is too important to sit out.From ACT’s push for smaller government and lower taxes...

    Read more about Taxpayer Talk: Paul Henry on ACT, Tax Cuts, and Taking an Axe to Wellington

  80. Labour’s Premier House Transparency Calls Hollow Till It Backs Opening Parliamentary Books

    The Taxpayers’ Union says Labour is close to hitting the nail on the head with its calls for greater transparency over spending on Premier House, but must now commit the same principle to Parliament itself.Taxpayers’ Union Investigative Lead Rhys Hurley, said:“Labour is right that taxpayers shouldn’t have to...

    Read more about Labour’s Premier House Transparency Calls Hollow Till It Backs Opening Parliamentary Books

  81. Taxpayer Update: Rates cap win 🧢 | Labour’s tax promise already unravels 💸 | $236m WINZ black hole 🕳️

    Dear Supporter,A mixed bag this week. On Sunday National recommitted to no new taxes (yay!), ACT unveiled its plan to put Parliament back in charge (stop courts stepping over the line), Labour released its, errr, "fiscal strategy" (i.e. even bigger government) and we had a major win on...

    Read more about Taxpayer Update: Rates cap win 🧢 | Labour’s tax promise already unravels 💸 | $236m WINZ black hole 🕳️

  87. Don’t hike fuel tax while infrastructure fund is wasted

    The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Government to scrap January’s planned 12-cent fuel tax hike before Cabinet’s decision deadline on Monday.Taxpayers’ Union spokeswoman, Ella Dickson, said:“Before asking motorists for more, the Government should look at where its existing infrastructure money is going. If it can find $68.5...

    Read more about Don’t hike fuel tax while infrastructure fund is wasted

  88. Southland Referendum Gets It Right: Now Let Every Ratepayer Decide on Amalgamation

    The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming confirmation that Southlanders will get the final say on any council reorganisation plan and is calling for every council involved in the Government’s Head Start programme to make the same commitment.Taxpayers’ Union Investigative Lead Rhys Hurley said:“Whether amalgamation is a good...

    Read more about Southland Referendum Gets It Right: Now Let Every Ratepayer Decide on Amalgamation

  90. Scrapping Climate Change Commission would be a win for taxpayers

    The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming ACT’s renewed commitment to scrap the Climate Change Commission, three years after first backing its abolition.Taxpayers’ Union spokeswoman, Ella Dickson, said:“This would be a huge win for taxpayers. We backed scrapping the Commission in 2023 and are pleased ACT has stuck with it.“Taxpayers...

    Read more about Scrapping Climate Change Commission would be a win for taxpayers

  95. Government’s rates cap a campaign win for ratepayers

    The Taxpayers’ Union is celebrating a major policy victory after the Government announced council rates increases will be capped from 1 July 2029.Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:“This is a huge win for ratepayers. More than 31,000 New Zealanders backed our Cap Rates Now campaign, and the Government has listened.”“We...

    Read more about Government’s rates cap a campaign win for ratepayers

  96. Hipkins’ ‘only one new tax’ promise 'gone by lunchtime’

    The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming Chris Hipkins for suggesting that bed taxes could be introduced under a potential Labour-led coalition, just hours after insisting Labour would introduce only one new tax.Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:“Chris Hipkins’ ‘only one new tax’ promise didn’t even make it to dinner.“This morning,...

    Read more about Hipkins’ ‘only one new tax’ promise 'gone by lunchtime’

  97. Taxpayer Update: NZ on Air’s $500k encore 🎸 | TWO Taxpayer Heroes this week 🦸‍♂️

    Happy Saturday,It's been another busy week. Let's get into it.Common sense prevails: TWO Taxpayer Heroes in one week! 🦸‍♂️💥Firstly, in a move designed to make us fall out of our chairs, someone in the Wellington bubble made a good decision this week.Taxpayer Hero Brooke van Velden has stopped Internal Affairs...

    Read more about Taxpayer Update: NZ on Air’s $500k encore 🎸 | TWO Taxpayer Heroes this week 🦸‍♂️

  98. Welcome home, National: No new taxes pledge a win for taxpayers

    The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming National’s U-turn and unequivocal commitment to “no new taxes”, calling it a victory for taxpayers and common sense. Taxpayers’ Union Spokesperson Tory Relf said:“Welcome home, National. This is exactly where the party of lower taxes should be.“Just a few weeks ago, Nicola Willis...

    Read more about Welcome home, National: No new taxes pledge a win for taxpayers

  99. ACT right to rein in judges and protect taxpayers’ property

    The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming ACT’s plan to put property rights into the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, saying taxpayers need stronger protection from governments that treat private property as theirs to tax, regulate, or confiscate at will.Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams said:“Property rights are the...

    Read more about ACT right to rein in judges and protect taxpayers’ property

  100. Labour fiscal 'strategy' shows they learned nothing from COVID

    The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming Labour’s fiscal strategy of locking-in Covid-era levels of government spending as 'fiscal and economic sabotage'.Responding to Barbara Edmond's "fiscal strategy" Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said:“Labour's pledge to keep core Crown expenses around 33 percent of GDP is a recipe for New...

    Read more about Labour fiscal 'strategy' shows they learned nothing from COVID

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