This week on our podcast is a special post-Budget analysis with New Zealand Initiative Chief Economist, Eric Crampton.

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This week on our podcast is a special post-Budget analysis with Bagrie Economics Lead Economist, Cameron Bagrie.

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This week on our podcast is a special Budget edition with our friend from the New Zealand Initiative, Eric Crampton.

Eric is the Initiative’s Chief Economist and provides a much welcome voice of reason to counter some the economic illiteracy often espoused by politicians. In this episode, Eric and Jordan discuss what they think the Government should focus on in the budget and what they need to do to wind back the spending that was ratcheted up by Grant Robertson over COVID.

Whether it’s spending, the growth in the number of bureaucrats, or the ‘brutal job cuts’, Eric provides a useful analysis that really puts the union, bureaucracy and opposition fear-mongering into perspective.

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This week on Taxpayer Talk is another episode in our MPs in Depth podcast series where we get to know Parliament's new MPs. In this episode, Connor sat down with National Party MP, Tom Rutherford. 

Tom was elected as the MP for the Bay of Plenty at the 2023 General Election. Prior to entering Parliament, Tom had worked for the National Party, in local government and also had volunteered as a firefighter in his local community. Tom is also a keen cricketer, rugby referee and hockey umpire. As one of Parliament's youngest MPs, Tom is open about the fact he has had less of a career before politics than others but is clearly very passionate about doing the best for New Zealand and the Bay of Plenty.

Tom's maiden speech can be watched here. Follow Tom on Facebook here.

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If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, feel free to email [email protected] 

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This week on Taxpayer Talk is another episode in our MPs in Depth podcast series where we get to know Parliament's new MPs. In this episode, Connor sat down with National Party MP, James Meager. 

James was elected as the MP for Rangitata at the 2023 General Election, reclaiming the seat from Labour with a significant majority. James is a lawyer and also has a Bachelor of Arts. James made national headlines following his maiden speech where he spoke of his early life growing up as a Māori boy in a state house house with a single mother before going on to be head boy and dux of Timaru Boys' High School. At university, he says he was a libertarian. Now he is more of a classical liberal – advocating for limited, rather than minimal, government. 

James's maiden speech can be watched here. Follow James on Facebook here.

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If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, feel free to email [email protected] 

You can also listen to Taxpayer Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio and all good podcast apps. 

This week on Taxpayer Talk is another episode in our MPs in Depth podcast series where we get to know Parliament's new MPs. In this episode, Connor sat down with National Party MP, Mike Butterick. 

Mike, a farmer and farming advocate, was elected as the MP for Wairarapa in the 2023 General Election. He has previously been involved with Federated Farmers and was the spokesperson for 50 Shades of Green, a lobby group addressing forestry encroachment on farmland. Mike is also active in community organisations, including serving as a director of Wings over Wairarapa. Passionate about education, his constituents, and the rural sector, Mike advocates strongly for local, community-led solutions to various issues.

Mike's maiden speech can be watched here. Follow Mike on Facebook here.

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If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, feel free to email [email protected] 

You can also listen to Taxpayer Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio and all good podcast apps. 

This week on Taxpayer Talk is another episode in our MPs in Depth podcast series where we get to know Parliament's new MPs. In this episode, Connor sat down with ACT Party MP, Andrew Hoggard. 

Andrew is a Manawatu farmer, has an Agricultural Economics degree and, prior to entering Parliament, was the President of Federated Farmers. Andrew has stepped straight into the role as Minister for both Biosecurity and Food Safety along with a number of associate portfolios. In this interview, Andrew discusses his life before politics, the issues he sees facing rural New Zealand and an insight into his experiences working in Canada where the dairy sector operates very differently with significant government control and intervention. 

Andrew's maiden speech can be watched here. Follow Andrew on Facebook here.

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If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, feel free to email [email protected] 

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This week on Taxpayer Talk is another episode in our MPs in Depth podcast series where we get to know Parliament's new MPs. In this episode, Jordan sat down with National Party MP for Whanganui, Carl Bates. 

Carl joined the Young Nats aged just 12 and less than 30 years later was elected to Parliament as a National MP. Prior to entering politics, Carl had an interesting and successful career from an incredibly young age. Aged just 18, he was appointed as an independent director at an aged care facility and at 22 was appointed as the acting chief executive of Quality Health New Zealand, managing to turn the failing organisation around. Carl is a chartered accountant, he also started his own professional services firm and served on a director and chairman on a range of small and large companies both in New Zealand and internationally.

Carl's maiden speech can be watched here. Follow Carl on Facebook here.

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This week's Taxpayer Talk presents another installment of our "MPs in Depth" podcast series, delving into the backgrounds of Parliament's newest members. In this episode, Jordan sits down with Cameron Luxton, the recently elected ACT Party MP.

Cameron Luxton is unique in that he is New Zealand's only Licensed Building Practitioner ever elected to Parliament. Prior to his political career, Luxton worked as both a builder and a dairy farmer. He shares with Jordan his personal journey, recounting his challenges in school and eventual breakthrough, spurred by a teacher and environment that diverged from the traditional, one-size-fits-all approach to education.

It's evident that Luxton's passions lie in advocating for charter schools and addressing the housing crisis. He articulates how the closure of charter schools served as a catalyst for his entry into politics, highlighting his commitment to tackling pressing issues facing New Zealand.

Cameron's maiden speech can be watched here. Follow Cameron on Facebook here.

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If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, feel free to email [email protected] 

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This week on Taxpayer Talk is another episode in our MPs in Depth podcast series where we get to know Parliament's new MPs. In this episode, Ollie sat down with National Party MP for Tukituki, Catherine Wedd. 

Catherine speaks about how, as a kid, she wanted to be a lawyer, journalist and politician, something she now describes as "perhaps the three most unpopular professions of this century" – but at the election last year was able to fill the third leg of that dream. Catherine has also worked in horticulture and been a director on the New Zealand Apples and Pears Board. Along with discussing her career before politics, Ollie and Catherine discuss her political ideology, the Public Interest Journalism Fund and which Labour Party policy she secretly admires. 

Catherine's maiden speech can be watched here. Follow Catherine on Facebook here.

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You can also listen to Taxpayer Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio and all good podcast apps.