Here’s to Sir Michael’s Tax Working Group delivering more than the PM when it comes to business confidence
Source: Taxpayers Union 28 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE A ‘Business Advisory Council’ is hardly the sort of economic kick start required to recover from declining business confidence with all eyes now on the Tax Working Group to deliver something to fire up New Zealand’s commercial sector, says the Taxpayers’ Union. Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “The business community […]
Read More →CPAG welcomes Govt announcement of tenancy law review
Source: Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) 28 August 2018 Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) welcomes the Government’s plans to review rental law, and is pleased that it intends to engage in public consultation, allowing those who are most affected to have a say in what reforms will have the most positive impacts on their lives. […]
Read More →Taxpayers’ Union welcomes Christchurch Mayoral support for Mayoral pay freeze
Source: Taxpayers Union 28 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is delighted that Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel has joined the Union’s cause to apply the pay freeze for MPs to local governmment until councils’ finances are under control. “Yesterday all of New Zealand’s mayors and councillors received our challenge for them to turn down […]
Read More →Let’s not turn the All Blacks into welfare bums
Source: Taxpayers Union 27 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The New Zealand Taxpayers Union says a taxpayer-funded handout for the All Blacks would be an absurd misuse of taxpayer money. “The NZRU is already exempt from income tax as a ‘promoter of amateur sport’. Taxpayers are doing enough favours for the All Blacks as it is, the last […]
Read More →Local councillors challenged to freeze their own pay
Source: Taxpayers Union 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 teachers, nurses, and other […]
Read More →Wellington has a bus crisis, not a golf crisis
Source: Taxpayers Union 27 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wellington Regional Council’s idea to bail out a golf course with ratepayer money is absurd, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Golf should not be a core concern for Wellington Regional Council, and it certainly shouldn’t be bailed out with ratepayer money.” “If one […]
Read More →Fund deportations, not Skypath
Source: Taxpayers Union 27 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Extreme budget constraints at Immigration New Zealand show that the Government is failing to properly prioritise the use of taxpayer money, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “How is our budget for deporting crooks so tight, when the government can find $67 million […]
Read More →$390 million for the lycra elite is a massive overspend
Source: Taxpayers Union 23 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “$390 million for the urban lycra elite is a stunning spend up from a Government that cries poor when it comes to other, more essential public services.” “This spending is equivalent to most of the regional fuel tax’s revenue for the […]
Read More →Racing industry jockeys for more PGF welfare
Source: Taxpayers Union 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 projects as: “a coalition dividend”, […]
Read More →Dowry Update: $150,000 inquiry seriously flawed
Source: Taxpayers Union 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 did not contest the […]
Read More →RNZ exposure of coalition “Horse-barrel” politics sets new low
Source: Taxpayers Union 23 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jo Moir’s uncovering of the deal between Labour and NZ First securing taxpayer money for multiple synthetic tracks for the racing industry is yet another example of the growth of “Winston’ Dowry”, paid for by taxpayers. “This sets a new low for coalition back room deals, clearly designed to […]
Read More →Government should sell more assets
Source: Taxpayers Union 22 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE A report by TDB Advisory showing the success of the Mixed Ownership Model demonstrates the need for more asset sales, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.Taxpayers’ Union Economist Joe Ascroft says, “This report demonstrates what most analysts already knew: private-sector discipline can transform bloated, inefficient Government-owned companies into […]
Read More →Fresh quakes in Lombok cause mass panic and worsens need for urgent aid
Source: Oxfam New Zealand Strong earthquakes and aftershocks continued to rattle Lombok sending its people, already reeling from the massive destruction in the previous weeks, running scared for their lives. Over the past 24 hours, at least a dozen shocks of 5-Richter magnitude have followed on the heels of Sunday’s big quakes of 6.3 and […]
Read More →Greenpeace to make new challenge to Government on plastics
Source: Greenpeace New Zealand Following the win on plastic bags, Greenpeace is gearing up to issue a significant new challenge to Government on plastics. “The ban on single-use plastic bags was a huge win for the oceans and for people power, but we’re not satisfied yet. Plastic bags are just the tip of the plastic […]
Read More →Red zone bailout is disgraceful and could cause economic calamity
Source: Taxpayers Union 21 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Government’s bailout of uninsured red zone homeowners threatens New Zealand’s resilience against future disasters, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says, “Why pay for house insurance when the taxpayer will just bail you out?” “This measure s MIL OSI
Read More →Oxfam response to Kerala floods
Source: Oxfam New Zealand Oxfam India is preparing emergency relief and assistance for people affected by one of the worst floods in the history of Kerala. The floods have affected more then one million people, left hundreds of thousands homeless and claimed the lives of 324 people to date. Following a rapid assessment of the situation Oxfam India […]
Read More →$72 million needed to protect Rohingya refugee women missing out on vital aid
Source: Oxfam New Zealand Rohingya women living in Bangladesh are developing health problems, missing out on aid and are at greater risk of abuse due to unsafe and unsuitable facilities in many parts of the refugee camps, Oxfam warned today. The international agency called for 15 per cent of new funding to be set aside […]
Read More →New report a wake-up call for the lazy public service
Source: Taxpayers Union 20 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE It’s absurd for public servants to demand more money when a new Productivity Commission report, Improving state sector productivity, shows that public sector productivity has been poor, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says, “Public sector unions disrespect taxpayers but significant pay rises, […]
Read More →Taxpayers’ Union welcomes MP pay freeze announcement
Source: Taxpayers Union 20 AUGUST 2018FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Responding to the Prime Minister’s decision to freeze pay and reassess the salary formula for all MPs, Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says: “This is a very welcome and wise decision from the Prime Minister, and acknowledges the problems we flagged last year.” “When the previous government decided to […]
Read More →From the Rainbow Warrior: Next stop New Zealand
Source: Greenpeace New Zealand Hola, This is Fernando – captain of Greenpeace flagship The Rainbow Warrior. I’m writing to you from the middle of the Tasman Sea – and our next stop is New Zealand! In April, when New Zealand became one of the first countries in the world to ban offshore oil and gas […]
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