Nicola Willis Has Wasted Our Nest Egg - Being Chicken Won’t Change That

Organisations including the Taxpayers’ Union, Council of Trade Unions, New Zealand Initiative, and BusinessNZ have been banned from Treasury’s Budget lock-up.

Commenting, Taxpayers’ Union spokesman James Ross said:

“Nicola Willis is spending more than Grant Robertson and borrowing more than $47 million every single day. Burying her head in the sand won’t change that.”

“Even after OIA documents released in March showed groups like ours were banned in a ministerial power-trip over a spat with the Council of Trade Unions, the Minister has doubled down.”

“Kiwis want credible government finances. Banning the critics won’t fix the books.”

“Budget briefings are one of the few instances where civil society groups and economic commentators have the chance to engage directly with Treasury officials. In previous years, the Taxpayers’ Union has even picked-up on mistakes in the Budget that were subsequently corrected.”

“The only reason you bar these groups is if you don’t want informed discussion, and want to be able to play the media - many of whom rely on the few economists in the room not on the government payroll to cut through the political spin.”

“Let’s call this what it is - chicken. At December’s briefing, the books were cooked with the made-up ‘OBEGALx’ to pretend Minister Willis had a plan for surplus. What fantasy finances are being hidden this time?”