Moody’s has placed New Zealand’s credit rating on a negative outlook, underscoring growing concern about the Government’s worsening fiscal position.

Responding, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:

“Minister Willis is right to say this is another warning that New Zealand can’t afford to simply spend more and borrow more. The problem is that is exactly what she is still doing.”

“Minister Willis got her first warning on 21 March this year when Fitch moved New Zealand to a negative outlook. Since then, government debt has grown by almost $2 billion and the National Debt Clock is forecast to hit $300 billion before the election. Where is the fiscal discipline Minister Willis talks about?

“Blaming global uncertainty is a convenient distraction for Minister Willis. Moody’s is pointing at Wellington. Despite the rhetoric, Government spending remains higher than under Grant Robertson, borrowing continues to climb, and there is no sign of a surplus this decade.”

“Credit rating agencies do not act on vibes. They follow the numbers. Being placed on negative watch is a signal to investors that New Zealand is becoming a riskier place to lend to, which ultimately means higher interest costs for taxpayers.”

“Clinging to the AAA rating while being put on negative watch is like celebrating while the warning lights are flashing. If this is what fiscal discipline looks like, it is no wonder Moody’s is losing confidence.”

“This must be a wake-up call ahead of Budget 2026. Until the Government matches its rhetoric with real spending restraint, more warnings, and eventually a downgrade, are inevitable.”

Responding to calls in The Post by Labour MP Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall that there have been “thousands of public service job losses", Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator, Rhys Hurley, said:

“Where on earth is Dr Verrall getting these numbers from? The Public Service Commission’s own data shows there are still more bureaucrats now than when Labour left office.”

“There were 63,117 public servants in 2023 compared to 63,657 at the end of 2025. That’s 540 more staff than when Labour was in charge - not fewer.”

“The truth is the public service is still larger than it was, and it’s not the cause of Wellington’s decline - that lies with the COVID hangover from work-from-home policies.”

“The idea of mass layoffs across the bureaucracy is simply a myth. If Labour really wants to back Wellington, they should support getting public servants off the couch and back into the office.”

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has responded to reports that Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is raising concerns about the Government’s $1.3 billion National Ticketing System(NTS).

Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:

“The NTS is shaping up to be yet another taxpayer-funded boondoggle driven by Wellington wishful thinking rather than real-world delivery discipline.”

“It was sold as a simple nationwide solution to replace a patchwork of local ticketing systems. Instead, the NTS has ballooned into a billion-dollar project with unclear delivery timelines and very little public accountability.”

“If even the mayor behind Auckland’s record-breaking rates hikes thinks this thing is a dud, you know it’s gone completely off the rails.”

“But even a broken clock is right twice a day and this time, Brown is bang on.”

The Taxpayers’ Union is questioning why taxpayers are funding security at privately-owned airports, as it reveals that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) employs 1,855 staff (excluding casuals, contractors, board members and staff on leave), making it larger than the United Kingdom’s 1,602 employees, which handles around ten times as many passengers.

This is because New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible not only for aviation regulation, but also for running passenger and baggage screening. Making it larger than the United Kingdom’s regulator, despite ten times as many passengers travelling through British airports.

Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator, Rhys Hurley, said:

“Taxpayers in New Zealand, a country less than one-tenth the size of the UK, are paying for an aviation regulator much larger than the UK’s, because it is doing jobs the UK regulator simply doesn’t do.”

“Once you strip out the security workforce, the actual regulatory function is smaller. Which raises the question of why we are running airport security through a government agency in the first place?”

“The United Kingdom’s airports handle ten times more passengers, yet their regulator focuses on oversight while airports themselves run screening.”

“When some of our airports privately owned, taxpayers are entitled to ask why they are paying to run airport security at all, and the Civil Aviation Authority focusing only on regulation and enforcement.”

The United Kingdoms Civil Aviation Authority annual report can be found here

The Official Information Act request showing that the Aviation Security Service employs 1,349 staff excluding casuals, contractors, board members and staff on leave can be found here

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on Christchurch City Council to disband ChristchurchNZ after the ratepayer-funded agency spectacularly failed to deliver on its job creation promises.

Responding to reports that the City’s ratepayer-funded economic development arm has produced just a tiny fraction of the jobs it was set up to create, Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Josh Van Veen said:

“ChristchurchNZ was supposed to help create 500 new jobs. It has managed just 69. If that is what passes as economic development, $16.3 million of ratepayer money is being wasted on an agency that is clearly not delivering.”

“This agency has had years, millions of dollars, and every opportunity to deliver. Instead, it’s become a case study in how to burn through public money without producing meaningful results.”

“Ratepayers are being asked to tighten their belts while millions are poured into bureaucratic vanity projects with little to show for it. It’s indefensible that ChristchurchNZ continues to soak up funding while delivering so little.”

“The Council should cut its losses, wind up Christchurch NZ, and refocus on core services that residents actually rely on.”

The Taxpayers’ Union has today launched a new public tool – the Fuel Clock – to provide real-time insight into the country’s fuel security, amid growing concerns about the risk of diesel shortages.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf says the tool was developed in response to increasing unease about the resilience of New Zealand’s fuel supply chain.

“If New Zealand runs short on diesel, the economy will be on its knees. This isn’t about petrol prices or even aviation fuel – diesel is what keeps the country moving. It powers the trucks that stock supermarkets, the tankers that collect milk, and the machinery that underpins our primary industries.”

"While the probability of a major disruption may be low, the consequences would be severe. Even a small risk of a diesel crisis is something policymakers should be taking extremely seriously. Frankly, it’s something our economic team is losing sleep over.”

The Fuel Clock aggregates official Government fuel stock data – released by MBIE twice a week but three days behind – with live international shipping data to provide a more accurate, up-to-date picture of supply levels.

“At the moment, official updates are already out of date by the time they’re published. With so much publicly available shipping data, there’s no excuse for flying blind.”

In addition to fuel stock and shipping data, FuelClock.nz incorporates Government bond signals and prediction market indicators to provide a continuous, independent assessment of New Zealand’s economic and fuel supply risk.

“This is about transparency. Kiwis deserve access to real-time information – not spin, not delays, and not filtered messaging from politicians.”

"While current indicators suggest the situation is stable, the tool is designed to act as an early warning system should conditions deteriorate. Right now, things don’t look too bad. But if that changes, New Zealanders will be able to see it in real time.”

This is the only tool we are aware of that combines fuel tracking with fiscal monitoring which, given the circumstances, are in strong correlation.

The Taxpayers’ Union is encouraging public feedback to improve the platform and expand its data sources.

The Fuel Clock is available at www.FuelClock.nz

Why has the Taxpayers’ Union built the Fuel Clock?

The Taxpayers’ Union has today launched a petition calling on the Government to ignore Greenpeace theatrics and urgently lock in a critical minerals deal with the United States, as new GDP figures show mining output fell 7.7 percent in 2025.

“While Greenpeace are busy cosplaying outside electorate offices, New Zealand’s economy is stalling,” said Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf.

“Mining is down 7.7 percent in the latest GDP numbers – that’s jobs, exports, and growth going down the drain.”

“Greenpeace want us to stay poor, dependent, and vulnerable. We say: get real. As a small trading nation at the bottom of the world, New Zealand is uniquely exposed to global shocks and blockades. If supply chains seize up, we won’t just suffer – we will sink.”

“This isn’t about the United States, it’s about Kiwi jobs and incomes. The US wants secure supply lines because China dominates critical minerals, and New Zealand should join it in diversifying.”

“Developing our own critical minerals isn’t just good economics, it’s basic resilience. It means stronger export earnings, a bigger economy, and less reliance on unstable or hostile suppliers.”

“Refusing to mine here doesn’t even stop mining, it just exports the jobs, the wealth, and often the environmental standards to countries that do it worse.”

“The Government should ignore the protest placards and get this deal done. More mining means more growth, higher wages, and a stronger, more secure New Zealand.”

“Time to dig in – literally.”

The petition calling on the Government to secure a critical minerals deal and grow New Zealand’s economy can be found here,

Responding to reports the Government is considering additional financial support for families during the fuel crisis, the Taxpayers’ Union says any new support for families must be fully funded through spending cuts elsewhere, not more borrowing.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:

“Families are under real pressure from rising fuel costs, but throwing borrowed money at the problem will only make the cost-of-living crisis worse. More deficit spending risks driving inflation higher and keeping interest rates elevated.”

“If ministers want to provide support during the fuel crisis, it must be fully funded by reprioritising the billions currently being wasted across the public sector.”

“New Zealand cannot afford another Grant Robertson-style ‘spend now, worry later’ response. Kiwis are still dealing with the consequences of that approach.”

“Government debt is already at $140,000 per household, according to the national Debt Clock. Helping families today shouldn’t mean saddling them with more debt tomorrow. The Government should be tightening its belt and reallocating spending, not reaching for the credit card again.”

Responding to reports the Government is considering additional financial support for families during the fuel crisis, the Taxpayers’ Union says any new support for families must be fully funded through spending cuts elsewhere, not more borrowing.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:

“Families are under real pressure from rising fuel costs, but throwing borrowed money at the problem will only make the cost-of-living crisis worse. More deficit spending risks driving inflation higher and keeping interest rates elevated.”

“If ministers want to provide support during the fuel crisis, it must be fully funded by reprioritising the billions currently being wasted across the public sector.”

“New Zealand cannot afford another Grant Robertson-style ‘spend now, worry later’ response. Kiwis are still dealing with the consequences of that approach.”

“Government debt is already at $140,000 per household, according to the national Debt Clock. Helping families today shouldn’t mean saddling them with more debt tomorrow. The Government should be tightening its belt and reallocating spending, not reaching for the credit card again.”

Responding to reports that Auckland Council has secured a formal commitment to consider a bed tax, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Josh Van Veen said:

“The Government should categorically rule out slapping Kiwis with yet another tax during the worst cost-of-living crisis in recent memory. Families and businesses are already stretched to breaking point. The last thing they need is another tax grab.

“Make no mistake: a ‘bed tax’ won’t just hit tourists. It will land squarely on the shoulders of New Zealanders travelling domestically for work, family, or holidays.

“Previous research by Tourism Industry Aotearoa found that only 30 percent of international visitors stay in commercial accommodation, meaning the majority of this tax would be paid by Kiwis, not tourists.

“If councils are so desperate to attract concerts and sporting events, they should start by reprioritising their bloated spending rather than reaching into taxpayers’ pockets yet again.”