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2019 Ratepayers’ Report released, methodology explained
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union, in partnership with the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance, has today published this year's Ratepayers' Report – online local government league tables – at www.ratepayersreport.nz.With these league tables, New Zealanders can easily compare their local council performance and financial position for 2017/18 against similar-sized councils and types.Setting out more than two thousand data points,...
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CRUSTACEAN CONTROVERSY: Council spends $6,000 on man in crayfish suit
After putting some feelers out, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Wellington regional ratepayers have paid almost $6,000 for “Frank the Crayfish”, a man in an elaborate crayfish suit who scolds ratepayers for their environmental habits. Frank stars in Greater Wellington Regional Council’s ‘quirky’ environmental ads, currently warning against...
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Op-ed: KiwiBuild reset plan ominously similar to 2008 American housing chaos
The following op-ed is written by Taxpayers' Union Economist Joe Ascroft.On Wednesday, the Government finally announced its KiwiBuild reset. The target of 100,000 homes over ten years has been scrapped and replaced in part by a $400 million “Progressive Homeownership Scheme”, which would distribute additional deposit subsidies for...
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Revealed: Taxpayers shell out $15,000 for left-wing lobby group
The Government has used taxpayer money to hire its left-wing mates as the Friendship Police, reveals the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. In May 2019, Netsafe granted $15,000 in taxpayer funding to left-wing campaign group ActionStation, according to information obtained under the Official Information Act.The payment breaches Netsafe’s commitment not to fund political...
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Zero Carbon Bill Submission
Earlier today our economist Joe Ascroft submitted in person to the Environment Select Committee on the Zero Carbon Bill. The Bill sets out expectations for reducing New Zealand's emissions profile as part of a global effort to limit climate change. Joe spoke to our written submission, which is available here. Our...
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Revealed: Adverse drug reactions cost taxpayers quarter of a billion
Between 2015/16 and 2017/18, DHBs spent $280 million treating patients due to adverse drug reactions, reveals the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union in its final health productivity briefing paper. It’s seriously concerning that taxpayers spent $280 million in three years dealing with botched prescriptions and incorrect use of medication....
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Advice on clean car scheme is seriously flawed – policy must be put on hold
In a submission to the Ministry of Transport, the Taxpayers’ Union reveals that the cost-benefit analysis prepared by Ministry of Transport and used to advise Ministers on the Government’s Clean Car Standard and ‘Feebate’ policies has serious flaws which undermine justifications for the policies. More than 90 percent of...
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Revealed: $20 million of redundancy payments dragging down health sector
In a new briefing paper, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that in the period 2013/14 through 2017/18, DHBs spent $20.37 million on redundancy payments. Some redundancy payments are inevitable, but spending an average of $26,800 on 758 payments is a poor use of money. DHBs should...
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The face that haunts Porirua ratepayers
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is questioning the value of a $98,876 brand makeover at Porirua City Council. The official new avatar for the Council, which you would expect to be emblematic of the rebrand’s quality, is a limp and childlike smiley face. The design was apparently chosen because...
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Revealed: Missed specialist appointments cost taxpayers $29 million
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is asking DHBs to charge patients who miss specialist appointments, in light of new figures that show missed specialist appointments cost taxpayers $29 million in FY 2016/17.District Health Boards need to become more efficient if we expect to keep healthcare costs manageable in...
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Opinion: Healthcare productivity has become an economic illness
This op-ed, written by Taxpayers' Union Economist Joe Ascroft, was originally published on Health Central.By 2060, Treasury’s Long Term Fiscal Model forecasts that government debt will reach 205.8 percent of GDP – approximately ten times our current debt burden as a proportion of the economy. Just financing that...
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Revealed: The mystery of Invercargill City Council's missing Chinese yuan
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the CEO of Invercargill City Council to take responsibility for untraceable cash spending that occurred on a trip to China.In late 2017, four Invercargill City Councillors visited the sister city of Suqan, China. The CEO withdrew $3,000NZD worth of Chinese yuan...
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Revealed: The $133,000 pricetag for the glossy Wellbeing Budget
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union can reveal that the Government spent $133,530 on producing its ‘Wellbeing Budget’ document, a cost blowout largely driven by spending on graphic design and photography.The $133,530 price tag compares to $86,268 for the 2017 Budget – an increase of 54.8%.The Government spent $31,682 on...
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Revealed: Wellington City Council’s $20,000 bike light investigation
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has identified an absurd case of mission creep at Wellington City Council: the decision to spend $21,750 on two Consumer NZ investigations into different brands of bike lights. Information released to the Union reveals that Wellington City Council initially paid Consumer NZ $10,600...
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Revealed: New Plymouth District Council’s eye-watering flight expenses
Update: New Plymouth District Council has corrected information it gave the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union regarding ratepayer-funded flight expenses in 2017/18.A Council spokesperson states:Former Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre director’s Simon Rees’ overseas travel was not ratepayer funded. Supplied information should not have included three overseas trips by...
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Tim Shadbolt’s mayoral expenses revealed
The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt has racked up $147,243 in mayoral expenses since late 2016 (the beginning of this term in local office).Tim Shadbolt has shown considerable fiscal irresponsibility in his latest term of office, spending inordinate amounts of money on frivolous or...
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Councils must reject the “Nanny’s Charter”
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has started a petition calling on councils across the country to reject the Childcare Allowance just introduced by the Remuneration Authority, which allows councillors and local board members to claim up to $6,000 per year from ratepayers for childcare.“Ratepayers should not be forced...
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Porirua’s Canadian art exchange typifies wasteful travel
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is questioning Porirua City Council’s decision to spend $9,218 on flights to Canada for an ‘indigenous art exchange’.The spending details have been released as part of a Taxpayers’ Union investigation into 2017/18 travel expenses at councils across the country.It’s ridiculous for Porirua City...
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Despite “climate emergency”, Dunedin City Council is third-highest spender on air travel
Using figures obtained under the Local Government Information Act, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Dunedin City Council was the country’s third-highest spending council in terms of air travel in the last financial year.The Council spent $347,885 on air travel in 2017/18 – $214,067 of which...
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Revealed: Wellington City Council’s climate hypocrisy
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that, despite plans to declare a ‘climate emergency’, Wellington City Council spent a massive $623,296 on air travel in the previous financial year.This makes Wellington City the country’s second highest-spending council behind Auckland City ($1,221,571). Notably, Wellington City’s air travel spending...
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Op-ed: The Wellbeing Budget gave beneficiaries what taxpayers deserved
Within the first weeks of becoming leader of the Labour Party, Jacinda Ardern made the call not to defend Metiria Turei’s self-confessed cheating of the welfare system. It was the right move. Workers rightly resent the idea that beneficiaries game the system while others work long shifts, pay...
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From the Budget lock-up: traditional big spend Labour budget
Dear Supporter,Our team has just returned from the Beehive, where we attended the media and analysts' lock-up event for the Government’s new “Wellbeing Budget”. This year’s Budget was accompanied by some level of turmoil, with leaks, alleged hacks, and a (very brief) police investigation all entering the headlines...
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Revealed: A climate of hypocrisy at Ecan
The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that, despite declaring a ‘climate emergency’ on Thursday, Environment Canterbury is the largest spender on combined international and domestic flights of all regional councils, bar Auckland. On one hand, Ecan is making grand gestures indicating ratepayers will have to fork out more for climate...
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REVEALED: Nelson Mayor fighting climate change one Copenhagen trip at a time
The Mayor of Nelson’s genuine concern for climate change is being questioned, with the Taxpayers’ Union revealing the Mayor flew to Copenhagen for a luxury trip primarily to view a yet-to-be-open climate change museum.An official information response shows that Mayor Rachel Reese spent four nights at a luxury...
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Revealed: Waikato Regional Council spends $9,000 on electronic video Christmas cards
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Waikato Regional Council last year sent out 177 electronic Christmas cards to political insiders – at cost of $9,341*, or $53 per card. The Union was tipped off about the cards by one of the recipients, who was concerned about the...
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REVEALED: Whangarei Ratepayers charged $91,000 for art junket
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has revealed that the Whangarei Arts Museum Trust spent $91,168 – including business class flights to Dubai – for 11 people to visit Vienna and see a Hundertwasser painting.In total, Whangarei Art Museum Trust – a Council CCO – spent $71,308 flying 11 people return...
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We Axed this Tax!
Wow!Louis and I have just returned to the office from the Beehive, where we watched as Jacinda Ardern announced she has completely and totally ruled out a capital gains tax under her leadership.This wasn't easy for the Prime Minister. She literally told the media she wanted Michael Cullen's...
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Major campaign launched to beat unfair capital gains tax
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union today formally launches a major campaign to fight the unfair capital gains tax, proposed by Dr Michael Cullen’s Tax Working Group.The Union is encouraging New Zealanders to go to axethistax.nz and use the email tool to tell Jacinda Ardern and Winston Peters how the tax will hit their family.Taxpayers’...
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Nineteen CGT details to look out for
The Taxpayers’ Union has listed the top 19 details Kiwis will be looking out for on Thursday in the Tax Working Group’s capital gains tax proposal. In our recent report, Five Rules for a Fair Capital Gains Tax, we outlined criteria to assess whether a capital gains tax is...
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Revealed: Central Otago District Council's $40,000 fashion collection locked away
Information released to the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union reveals that just 12 per cent of a $40,000 fashion collection owned by the Central Otago District Council has ever been on display, with the exhibited items only being displayed 14 per cent of the time (269 days) since the...
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Op-Ed: Politicians give to Māori with one hand, but take with the other
This month’s Waitangi festivities were marked with a string of Government funding announcements, totaling hundreds of millions for development projects intended to make life better for Māori.Some of these projects will achieve their goals. Others will just line the pockets of the politically-connected. But in every instance, these...
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Report: Māori punished with world's highest rate of tobacco excise
With tobacco excise slamming the country’s most vulnerable communities, the Government needs to urgently deregulate reduced-harm products, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union upon the release of its new report, Ka Tukuna Atu, Ka Tukuna Mai.Key findings:1) The Government annually takes $120 million more from Māori via tobacco excise than it...
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Op-ed: Fake news from Oxfam on inequality
Earlier this week, Oxfam released its latest findings on global wealth inequality, with widespread media coverage (such as the pictured front-page story in the Dominion Post).The group’s analysis of inequality in New Zealand was glib and unhelpful.Citing Credit Suisse’s Global Wealth Databook 2018, Oxfam claims that inequality is...
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PETITION: Make Toyota pay back the $391,000
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has launched a petition calling on Toyota New Zealand to pay back the $391,000 grant secretly given by Palmerston North City Council, for which the Council and Toyota refuse to explain. This kind of corporate welfare is wasteful and unnecessary. With profits of 22...
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The Local Government Minister isn’t doing her job
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Minister for Local Government Nanaia Mahuta has not met with a ratepayer association since her appointment in 2017. Not even one. Given the challenge every ratepayer in the country is feeling about costs being out of control at most town halls,...
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$769,955 of international jet-setting at Ministry for the Environment
While taxpayers are being told to stump up for fuel taxes, off-set their carbon emissions, and watch on as oil and gas jobs face the axe in Taranaki, Ministry for the Environment officials are enjoying luxurious trips abroad, exposes the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.The Union can reveal that...
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EXPOSED: Palmerston North deal with Toyota costs ratepayers $391,000
The Taxpayers' Union is exposing that the Palmerston North City Council has given an economic grant to Toyota – one of the world’s largest car manufactures - for a local warehouse expansion, costing local ratepayers $391,000.It’s great to see a business investing in Palmerston North, but they should do...
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V-Day: An Impossible Test of Logistics
Early next year, the Tax Working Group will deliver its final report to Cabinet. That report will contain a series of recommendations for reform of our tax system, including any details on a proposed capital gains tax. Once Cabinet receives the report, it will have to decide which...
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REVEALED: Taxpayer dosh paid to Ministerial spouse’s firm – with no open tender
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that in the last year the Government has paid $356,466.61 to the consultancy firm of Peter Nunns – the partner of Associate Transport Julie Anne-Genter – without a single open tender process.The firm in question is MRCagney – for which Mr...
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Op-ed: Leave the Super Fund alone
When Sir Michael Cullen’s Super Fund was established, its explicit purpose was to help ensure that superannuation would remain fiscally sustainable long into the future while the population ages.It’s an expensive scheme. The Government has devoted $15.45 billion to the Fund since inception, approximately $8,935 per household in...
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Cancel the hui, cut off the koha
The budget blowout for Kelvin Davis’ Māori-Crown Relations engagement meetings shows the danger of taxpayer-funded ‘hui’ and koha payments. Calling a meeting a ‘hui’ shouldn’t be an excuse for lavish catering and bureaucratic extravagance. Besides, the fact Kelvin Davis had to hold 33 meetings to figure out what his new job...
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New report: The Bitter Truth
The Taxpayers' Union's new report The Bitter Truth: Why don't sugar taxes work? focuses on the regressive economic effects of sugar taxes and responds to the central claim from public health lobbyists that sugar taxes will improve health outcomes. Whatever the good intentions the evidence shows that unfortunately sugar...
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Guest Post: Larry Mitchell on Auckland Council examples of getting it wrong
The previous guest posts I have discussed the ills of Auckland Council focussing upon their wasteful and inefficient approach to the control of their costs. I, along with many commentators believe that Auckland Council's costs are totally out of control.One of the key reasons they are out of control...
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Shadbolt knocked off perch: new winner in race to buy most expensive vehicle in local government
The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Horizons Regional Council Chairman Bruce Gordon cost ratepayers $97,000 with the most expensive vehicle for a local government elected representative – a swanky BMW X4.The Union asked every council in the country for expenses associated with their vehicles. The full spreadsheet of...
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Revealed: The most extravagant mayoral vehicles
Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt drives the most expensive ratepayer-funded mayoral vehicle in the country, the New Zealand Taxpayers Union can reveal. The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has asked every council in the country for expenses associated with their mayoral vehicles. The full spreadsheet of expenses is available here.Invercargill District Council topped the chart for...
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Taxpayers’ Union launch report at Parliament with inaugural "Jonesie Waste Awards"
Today at Parliament the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union presented the inaugural Jonesie Waste Awards, recognising the best of the worst in government waste revealed in the last 12 months.The full details of the 2018 Jonesies are available as a report, which was launched at the awards ceremony (see below).The Jonesies...
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Benefit Sanctions: Help-but-hassle welfare reduces child poverty
A new report from the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union shows the success of benefit sanctions, explains why efforts to make life on a benefit easier simply encourage a culture of welfare dependency and fraud, and exposes that more than one third of unemployment and single parent beneficiaries admit...
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Statement on Taxpayers' Union official information requests
Below is the statement we provided to the NZ Herald in the lead up to publication of this article.The Taxpayers’ Union is a heavy user of the Official Information Act, comparable to media organisations such as the New Zealand Herald.The vast majority of public sector organisations respond to Taxpayers’ Union information...
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Canterbury catering costs revealed: Christchurch City Council spends $51,000 on milk
Christchurch City Council spent $350,208 on entertainment, gifts, and catering in 2017 – including $51,572 on milk, reveals the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.This makes Christchurch City the council with the highest level of ‘indulgence spending’ in New Zealand (aside from Auckland Council, who say they are unable to...
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VIDEO: Porky protests the taxpayer-funded bonus for union members
On Tuesday, the Taxpayers' Union team visited the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment offices to see if staff are willing to take the new taxpayer-funded $500 bonus for joining the Public Service Association – a union that helps the Labour Party during election campaigns.Sign the petition against this rort...
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EXCLUSIVE: Labour-led Government give taxpayer-funded bonus to union mates
The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is using taxpayer money to bribe workers into joining the Public Service Association. The following email was circulated to all MBIE staff and has been passed on to the Taxpayers’ Union. It reveals that, as a result of recent pay...
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2018 Ratepayers' Report published
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union, in partnership with the Auckland Ratepayers Alliance, have today published this year's Ratepayers' Report – online local government league tables – at www.ratepayersreport.nz. With these league tables, New Zealanders can easily compare their local council performance and financial position against similarly sized councils and types.By setting out more than two thousand data points,...
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Local councillors challenged to freeze their own pay
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has written to every local councillor in the country, challenging them to follow the Prime Minister’s lead and freeze their pay rates until local government finances are brought under control.Last week, MPs showed courage in rejecting a pay rise to reflect pressure on...
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Racing industry jockeys for more PGF welfare
Earlier this morning, Radio New Zealand's Jo Moir revealed that the racing industry is set to receive funding for all-weather tracks from the Provincial Growth Fund, along with funding for a digital centre in Dunedin and a sports hub in Northland. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones described the...
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Dowry Update: $150,000 inquiry seriously flawed
It was revealed at the Acting Prime Minister's post-cabinet press conference yesterday that Tracey Martin (a New Zealand First Minister) will be in charge of an inquiry into the appointment process of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Wally Haumaha. Haumaha was selected as New Zealand First candidate in 2005, but...
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Hastings District Councillors must all be skipping breakfast
As reported in the Hawke's Bay Today, a New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union analysis of catering costs at Hawke's Bay councils has revealed Hastings District Councillors to be guilty of ratepayer-funded gluttony. Hastings District Council spent $50,375.88 on catering for its elected members in 2017 – or about $1,000 a week. Across all of...
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Christchurch City Council buckles: releases $1.2m “touch wall” spending
After being faced with legal action from the Taxpayers’ Union (and potentially the Attorney General), Christchurch City Council has buckled and confirmed the amount spent on its seven-metre ‘touch wall’ – $1.245 million.This was an eleventh-hour backdown from the Council. We literally had the affidavit signed, papers prepared, and were ten minutes...
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Taxpayers' Union welcomes Ombudsman judgment against Christchurch City Council
The Ombudsman has invited the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union to bring enforcement proceedings to the High Court over Christchurch City Council’s failure to release the spending figure for the seven metre ‘touch wall’ in its new library. He has also asked the Attorney General to consider doing the...
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Taxpayers’ Union welcomes Rex Nicholls to Board of Directors
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is pleased to announce that former Wellington City Councillor Rex Nicholls has joined the organisation's board of directors. Rex’s background is in engineering, project management, and property investment. His mix of civic and private achievements place him perfectly as an ambassador for taxpayers.Rex says:“I’ve...
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'Hot horse' subsidy costs to sky-rocket: Winston's Dowry grows
It was revealed last week, that the tax break for racing industry bloodstock is expected to cost significantly more than previously anticipated. The tax breaks for the racing industry have faced ridicule as the only tax cut in Budget 2018. That's not surprising: the racing industry has historically...
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Letter to Hon Kris Faafoi on alternative nicotine products
As part of our campaign to Clear the Air, we have written to Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Kris Faafoi to highlight the government-led misinformation that prevents smokers from switching to less harmful alternatives, and saving up to $2 billion a year in excise tax.
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Winston is in!
With Jacinda Ardern now on maternity leave, Winston Peters has finally grasped the wheel of power.However, Mr Peters has had significant control over spending since the Government was formed late last year. Since then, Winston has negotiated for an array of projects, policies, and prizes for him and...
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Peters prodded into transparency over racing industry review
Rt Hon Winston Peters has now released the terms of reference for his review of the racing industry, due to intervention of the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union and the Ombudsman.New Zealand First has a long history of promoting handouts for the racing industry, with an all-weather track and...
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Tax Villains: The Spinoff breach $40,000 agreement with IRD
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that The Spinoff have broken the terms of their agreement with IRD to publish content in their Tax Heroes project.The Tax Heroes project, which featured a number of articles from writers associated with The Spinoff, intended to highlight the public good...
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Amazon’s exit from Australia a warning for NZ – Australian taxpayer advocate
Amazon’s decision to pull out of Australia in response to a new online shopping tax shows the peril of the New Zealand Government’s plan to introduce its own ‘Amazon tax’, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union, in conjunction with its sister organisation the Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance. Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance Director of Policy Satya Marar...
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Winston's Dowry
In the coming weeks, we will be launching a new project: Winston's Dowry. Marriage can be expensive, but normally the guests aren't given a bill at the end of the ceremony. In a political marriage, the cost of attendance can be significant. The aim of Winston's Dowry is to calculate the...
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Budget 2018 - A classic Labour Party Budget
Dear Supporter,Our analysts have just left the Government’s Budget lock-up having pored through the largest budget media/analysts pack we can recall and listened to an early version of Finance Minister Grant Robertson’s speech which he has just read to Parliament.You can read our summary comments to media here.Except...
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Clinton Foundation petition delivered to Parliament
This morning our team delivered our petition to end taxpayer funding for the Clinton Health Access Initiative, a subsidiary of the Clinton Foundation. All up, the petition received an impressive 6,400 signatures. In addition, around 1,800 people have used our website to write to the Minister of Foreign Affairs,...
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Treasury predict average worker paying top tax rate by 2022
Budget 2018 projections show that the average worker will be in the top income tax bracket by 2022 unless urgent changes are made to tax thresholds to adjust them to wage inflation. Taxpayers’ Union Economist Joe Ascroft says “This is the eighth successive Budget that has not delivered income tax relief....
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New Green-tint corporate welfare scheme mistaken
Putting aside $100 million for a “Green Investment Fund” to compete with investment bankers is a mistake, says the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union. Union Economist Joe Ascroft says “James Shaw says international investors are ‘already shifting into climate-aligned investments.’ If that’s the case, then why does the Government need to set...
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Budget win for the Taxpayers’ Union with announcement of independent costing office
The Taxpayers’ Union is celebrating that a policy it has pushed for since 2014 has been adopted by the Government. Jordan Williams, the Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union, says: “Since we launched our election ‘Bribe-O-Meter’ we have argued that New Zealand needs an independent election policy costing office. This increases transparency, improves...
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Megan Woods breaks word – gives into Callaghan self-interest.
The Taxpayers’ Union is fuming that Minister for Research, Science and Innovation Megan Woods has broken her word and capitulated to Callaghan Innovation’s pressure to keep its precious corporate welfare grant schemes, rather than phasing them out in favour of the new R&D tax credit.Taxpayers' Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says,...
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Government acknowledges merits of full capital expensing – but why just bloodstock?
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the underlying principle in the only tax change announced as part of today’s Budget 2018 to promote economic growth: full capital expensing of bloodstock. “Allowing full expensing of capital investments is the best tax reform no one has heard of,” says the Union’s Economist Joe Ascroft. “This is...
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A billion dollars a year for 900 fewer tertiary students. WTF?
Treasury has ripped off the political veil and exposed the Prime Minister’s flagship ‘free’ tertiary education policy with Budget showing that the numbers in tertiary education set to decline by 900 in the 2018/19 year. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says: “The whole reason the Prime Minister pushed ahead with...
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Labour delivers predictable budget in sweet economic times
From the Budget 2018 lock-up, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming Labour’s adherence to its pre-election ‘fiscal rules’ despite delivering significant Labour-Party style sweeteners in the Budget delivered today. Taxpayers’ Union Chairman, Barrie Saunders, says: “This is a classic Labour Party Budget, in probably the best economic times inherited by a...
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Confirmed: $5.5m for the Clinton Foundation in 2018/19
UPDATE: You can email the Minister of Foreign Affairs about this issue by clicking here.A subsidiary of the controversial Clinton Foundation is set to receive US$3.9m (NZ$5.5m) in taxpayer money in 2018/19, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can confirm. This is in addition to NZ$8m given to the...
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Taxpayers' Union presents submission to Tax Working Group
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has finalised and presented its submission to the Tax Working Group, along with submissions from more than 800 Taxpayers’ Union members and supporters. We look forward to hearing the Working Group acknowledge not just our own submission, but those of the 800 or so taxpayers who have submitted...
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We've made it easy to submit to the Tax Working Group
We've made it easy for you to make a submission to the Government's Tax Working Group, chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. Our online tool will make sure your voice is heard.Will you take a moment to send the Working Group a clear message? The Tax Working Group should not...
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Taxpayer-funded health activists bully Youthline against advice
Taxpayer-funded health activists ignored advice from the Ministry of Health, Auckland Council, and Auckland Transport, to bully a company into dropping a promotion to raise money for Youthline, reveals the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Healthy Auckland Together (HAT), a coalition of public agencies and taxpayer-funded health groups, used taxpayer money...
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Petition shames Hamilton Mayor into U-turn
You did it!Earlier today our mascot “Porky the Waste Hater” presented our petition calling on the Hamilton City Council to ditch the proposal to change its name, to the Mayor and Councillors.It is fair to say that the Mayor was NOT happy with the attention and our presence. ...
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Petition launched on Hamilton City Council name change
It is astounding that Hamilton City Council’s mayor is pushing a name change while Hamilton ratepayers face rate hikes of 9.5% a year, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union, launching a petition on the issue. Taxpayers' Union spokesperson Louis Houlbrooke says, “The Mayor should be dealing with a rates crisis,...
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Police spend $2.5m on clothing allowances for non-uniformed staff
New Zealand Police handed out $2,505,317 in clothing allowances to non-uniformed staff in 2017, according to figures obtained by the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.Most of this spending was on 1,412 staff in the Criminal Investigator Branch staff who receive allowances of $1,413.72 a year.$1,400 a year would give...
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National Party leadership
Wellington has seen a flurry of activity this week as Bill English declared that he would be stepping down as National Party Leader and resigning from Parliament. We thanked Mr English for his service on behalf of taxpayers, noting his success in cutting taxes in 2010 and making...
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Four months late: Callaghan releases latest spending figures
Five months after it was requested under the Official Information Act, Callaghan Innovation has now released its 2016/17 entertainment expenses.The bill increased from the previous year, going from $304,675 to $308,969.It’s another long laundry list of taxpayer-funded purchases, largely of booze, fine dining, and flat whites for Callaghan...
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Bill English thanked for service to taxpayers
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union expresses gratitude on behalf of its 32,000 members and supporters to Rt Hon Bill English for his service to taxpayers. Under his tenure as Finance Minister and Prime Minister in 2008-2017, the burden on taxpayers reduced, with core Crown revenue as proportion of GDP cut from...
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Bureaucrats schmooze fat cats with your money
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has today released the full breakdown (attached) of Callaghan Innovation’s entertainment expenses for 2015/16.Earlier this month, we revealed Callaghan spent $304,000 on ‘entertainment’ in 2015/16. We can now confirm this was mostly purchases at cafes, bars and restaurants, and we have obtained receipts...
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Revealed: 40% of Wellington-Canberra seats empty
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that only 60% of seats were filled on the ratepayer subsidised Wellington-Canberra flight route, compared to an average of nearly 80% for all flights in and out of Australia.Figures published by the Australian Government in their international airline review for 2016/17...
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PETITION: End Ratepayer Subsidies to Singapore Airlines
The failure of Singapore Airlines' Wellington-Canberra route shows what an utter waste the route’s multi-million dollar subsidy has been. The Wellington-Canberra route should never have been subsidised in the first place. Now that the spending has proven to be a complete waste, you would expect WREDA (Wellington Regional Economic...
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EXPOSED: Bureaucrats party with drag queens on taxpayer dollar
The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that a small government agency spent over $300,000 on ‘entertainment’ in 2015/16 – including a drag queen dinner and show for staff.The Union gained receipts for Callaghan Innovation’s entertainment purchases via the Official Information Act.From a laundry list of receipts from bars, cafes,...
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MEDIA RELEASE: Tax Working Group Should Be Tasked With Fiscal Neutrality
14 DECEMBER 2017FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEWith the Budget Policy Statement indicating fiscal restraint, and the Government not signalling increases in revenue over and above nominal growth and fiscal drag, the Tax Working Group should be tasked to offer fiscally neutral solutions says the Taxpayers’ Union. Jordan Williams, the Union’s Executive Director,...
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MEDIA RELEASE: Labour’s Mini-Budget Delivers Fiscal Restraint
14 DECEMBER 2017FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE“Grant Robertson’s pre-Christmas spend-up appears to tie his hand in years to come, and offers a welcome dose of fiscal restraint,” says the Taxpayers’ UnionExecutive Director, Jordan Williams, reacting to today’s Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update. “Today’s HYEFU was a mini-budget – it changes the...
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MEDIA RELEASE: KiwiBuild Spending Mostly Crowds Out What Would Be Built Anyway
14 DECEMBER 2017FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEBy the next election, the Government will have spent two billion dollars on KiwiBuild, but only a little more than a third of that will have translated into additional houses according to Treasury analysis pointed to by the Taxpayers’ Union. New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union Economist Joe Ascroft, says,...
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MEDIA RELEASE: Winter Energy Payment Is Universalism At Its Worst
14 DECEMBER 2017FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEWith the Budget Policy Statement indicating fiscal restraint, and the Government not signalling increases in revenue over and above nominal growth and fiscal drag, the Tax Working Group should be tasked to offer fiscally neutral solutions says the Taxpayers’ Union. Jordan Williams, the Union’s Executive Director,...
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OIA: Request for secret agreement contents
Earlier this week, we sent this Offical Infomation Act request (OIA), to the Cabinet Secretary (a senior official in the non-political Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet) asking what information he has, or knows, about the contents of the 36-page secret document. Even if the DPMC does not actually have the...
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$190,000 per student
$380 million = $190,000 eachEarlier this week, the Government announced the details of its plan to make the first year of tertiary study free fully taxpayer funded. For the princely sum of $380 million, an extra 2,000 students are expected to pursue tertiary study from next year – that’s $190,000...
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Ratepayers' Report reveals the two NZ councils without Audit and Risk Committees
Our 2017 Ratepayers' Report - local government league tables - has identified Otorohanga, and Grey District Councils as the only two local authorities in New Zealand to govern without an Audit and Risk Committee.Earlier in the year, Ratepayers' Report showed that Otorohanga, Grey and Waitomo District Councils were the only New Zealand councils failing to...
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The agreement Jacinda Ardern does not want you to see
The secret agreementWhen the new Government was formed, Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, let slip that a "hidden addendum" to the Labour-NZ First coalition agreement had been agreed to, which clarified how the new Government will operate. Mr Peters promised that the document, apparently 38 pages long, would be...
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Update on Waikato DHB expense scandal
We can shed more light on the expense scandal at the Waikato DHB, with the release of documents we requested under the Official Information Act arriving on Friday. Documents were released showing a number of important details for taxpayers (see below).To our surprise, and despite numerous assurances that...
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New Report: Fare Game? Flagging Down the Cost of Public Servant Taxis
Our new report, titled Fare Game? Flagging down the cost of public sector taxis, shows that bureaucrats choosing more expensive taxi services over ride-sharing apps like Uber have cost taxpayers at least $9.81 million since Uber’s introduction in mid-2014.Currently, the 28 tier-one public service departments spend about $9.3 million a year on...
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Coalitions purchased with taxpayers’ money
Labour’s coalition agreements with New Zealand First and the Green Party were released on Tuesday. While they set out the policy priorities of the new government, they do not breakdown the costs. Failing to mention the expenses, both in the agreements and most of the media commentary, should...
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