Posted in NEWS by New Union | January 16, 2014
Yesterday Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced research and development grants that are set to cost taxpayers $140million over three years. The Herald reports: More than $140 million has been earmarked to go to 31 New Zealand tech companies in research and development grants. Science and Innovation Minister Steven...
Read more about Why is the Government picking losers?Posted in NEWS by New Union | January 15, 2014
Yesterday it looked like the Taxpayers' Union struck up it's first win, with ACC announcing that it would scrap the health and safety training scheme which has cost levy holders $19million to date, with 84 cents per dollar being wasted (even with optimistic assumptions). ONE News, 3 News, the...
Read more about ACC cans useless scheme publicly, but extended the contract within the last monthPosted in NEWS by New Union | January 14, 2014
Material released by the Taxpayers’ Union show a cosy deal between Business New Zealand, the Council of Trade Unions ("CTU") and ACC has cost ACC-levy payers $19 million since 2003. The documents, available and summarised below show ACC knew that millions paid to Business NZ and the CTU to...
Read more about ACC wastes millions on a cosy deal with Business NZ and the CTUPosted in NEWS by New Union | January 14, 2014
Cr Nicola Young, whose motion to consult before Wellington implemented the living wage was defeated 8 votes to 5, writes in today's Dominion Post. Wellington City Council has lit a fuse leading to a bomb of unknown size, with its vote to implement a "living...
Read more about Cr Young on Wellington City Council's living wagePosted in NEWS by New Union | January 11, 2014
Following the well publicised case of global warming scientists being stuck in record pack ice in Antarctica (ironically the expedition was intended to study the dwindling sea ice) and the efforts to rescue them, the Taxpayers' Union began enquires late last year to find out precisely how much taxpayers' money the...
Read more about Good work DoC - but questions about AAE claiming supportPosted in NEWS by New Union | January 8, 2014
This morning the New Zealand Herald covered figures released by the Taxpayers' Union show that MPs are chewing through more than $65,000 per month on payouts to avoid messy employment grievances. Parliamentary Service spent nearly $400,000 on payouts for former staff in the second half of last year,...
Read more about MP employment spats costing taxpayersPosted in NEWS by New Union | December 20, 2013
The Taxpayers’ Union revealed a massive cost overrun of a mismanaged IT project jointly commissioned by DoC and Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). Two independent reports on the project are damning of DoC. They blame mismanagement and ineffective governance for the project’s failure. It appears that...
Read more about Taxpayers' Union Uncovers Massive IT Screw Up Within DOCPosted in NEWS by New Union | December 18, 2013
The tip line works Just after publicly launching in October, the Taxpayers' Union received an anonymous tip off that there was a massive cost overrun of a mismanaged IT project jointly commissioned by DoC and Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). The National Property and Land...
Read more about EXCLUSIVE: Tip off to Taxpayers' Union uncovers IT stuff up and cost overrun at DOCPosted in NEWS by New Union | December 17, 2013
Yesterday the Prime Minister announced a deal with Hollywood studios that will allow up to 25% tax rebates on film production expenditure within New Zealand. While we can all applaud our world-class film industry and the jobs the deal will create, why is the film industry...
Read more about Tax break or corporate hand-out? A brief comment on Avatar dealPosted in NEWS by New Union | November 29, 2013
Our Executive Director joined Seven Sharp's Heather du Plessis-Allan to check out taxpayer owned company, Transpowers' new $1.2million cafe on The Terrace, Wellington. Click the image below for video on demand.
Read more about Seven Sharp on Transpower's $1.2million cafe/reception