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New Zealand Taxpayers' Union - Latest News [Page 16]
Environment Canterbury's Punishing Rates Hike Unjustified
Thursday, 29 February 2024, 11:00 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Reacting to Environment Canterbury’s proposal to hike rates by 24%, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Hiking rates by almost a quarter is simply inexcusable when there’s still so much waste in the council. “Environment ... More >>
OCR Shows National Need To Get Serious About Slashing Waste
Wednesday, 28 February 2024, 1:50 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s decision to hold the Official Cash Rate (OCR) at 5.5%, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: “Kiwi families are struggling, but with the OCR looking likely to climb ... More >>
Potential Changes To Trust Tax Hike Shows Government Is Lawmaking On The Hoof
Wednesday, 28 February 2024, 10:12 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to reports that the Finance Minister wants to exempt some trusts from paying the new 39% trust tax rate, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “What is clear is that this tax hike has never been properly thought through ... More >>
Christchurch City Council’s New Monstrous Rates Hike Unacceptable
Wednesday, 28 February 2024, 9:41 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to Christchurch City Council’s (CCC) proposed rates rise of 13.24% for the 2023/24 financial year, Taxpayers’ Union Researcher, Alex Murphy, said: "Over the last several years, Christchurch City Council has developed a shambolic ... More >>
Wellington Council’s $5 Million Spin Doctor Spend Papering Over The Cracks
Tuesday, 27 February 2024, 9:47 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to news that Wellington City Council has 54 members in its comms team, with a total annual budget of over $5 million, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: “Pipes are bursting, roads are crumbling, and ... More >>
Highest Public Sector Wage Growth On Record Despite Lagging Productivity
Friday, 23 February 2024, 10:51 am | Taxpayers' Union
Responding to a report showing that public sector wage growth is the highest on record, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: “Despite a Government elected to trim the bureaucratic fat, public sector wage growth continues ... More >>
Wellington Councillors Need To Front Up Over $32 Million Corporate Handout
Friday, 23 February 2024, 10:02 am | Taxpayers' Union
Wellington City Council is set to decide in secret whether to use $32 million of ratepayers’ money to buy the land under the Reading cinema from its current owners - a multinational firm with real estate holdings valued at over half a billion dollars ... More >>
Three Waters Chief Execs’ Golden Handshakes Equal To Almost 11x Median Salary
Thursday, 22 February 2024, 9:54 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to news that two Three Waters Chief Executives have received a combined $710,000 in redundancy payments, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: “Golden handshakes worth almost 11 times the annual median wage ... More >>
Taxpayers' Union Pays Tribute To Efeso Collins
Wednesday, 21 February 2024, 10:44 am | Taxpayers' Union
Commenting on the news of the death of Green MP, Efeso Collins, Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams said: “While we may have had different politics, Efeso was always a councillor I - and the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance - could ... More >>
Revealed: Local Government Commission Wastes $100,000 On Rebrand Right As Agencies Told To Cut Back On Wasteful Spending
Tuesday, 20 February 2024, 7:14 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
According to information obtained under the Official Information Act, The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that the Local Government Commission – the body responsible for overseeing the structure of New Zealand's councils – has spent $99,000 on a new ... More >>
Kāpiti's Wastage Seen Through Chief Executive's Pay Rise
Monday, 19 February 2024, 12:09 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Commenting on a recent $50,500 pay rise for the Kāpiti Coast District Council Chief Executive, Darren Edwards, Alex Murphy, Taxpayers' Union Researcher said: "For a council that's ratepayers are already staring down the barrel of a 17% rates hike, ... More >>
NZTA Must Be Clearer With Speed And Traffic Camera Plans
Monday, 19 February 2024, 11:04 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Commenting on NZTA’s proposal to expand the stock of its road safety cameras from 150 to potentially 800 over the next ten years, Taxpayers’ Union, Researcher, Alex Murphy, said: “There’s no doubt that having safer roads is critically important, ... More >>
Whanau And McKerrow's $1,400 Secret Dinner Deal Makes A Mockery Out Of Wellington Ratepayers
Wednesday, 14 February 2024, 12:52 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Commenting on a lavish $1,400 seafood dinner between Wellington City Council Mayor Tory Whanau, Chief Executive Barbara McKerrow, and the heads of Reading Cinema - Ellen and Margaret Cotter - which was part of a secret business meeting for the Council ... More >>
Taxpayers’ Union Welcomes Three Waters Announcement
Monday, 12 February 2024, 6:20 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Commenting on the Government’s three-stage legislation plan to replace Three Waters and the appointment of a Technical Advisory Group, Taxpayers’ Union Head of Campaigns, Callum Purves, said: “We welcome the clarity on how exactly the new coalition proposes ... More >>
Wellington Council’s Refusal To Scrap Pet Projects Puts Frontline Services At Risk
Monday, 12 February 2024, 12:18 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Commenting on Wellington City Council preparing to vote on a number of cost-cutting measures, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: “Councils have a favourite little trick. When it comes time to justify enormous ... More >>
Police And Te Whatu Ora Need To Be Put Back In Their Lane
Friday, 9 February 2024, 9:30 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming today’s news that the Police and Te Whatu Ora Health NZ allocated a $60,000 legal war chest to fight a Wellington pub owner – all for the sake of a bar having to close an hour earlier. “CBD crime is growing, ... More >>
Hamilton City Council’s Never-Ending Rate Hikes Are Unjustifiable
Thursday, 8 February 2024, 11:12 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to Hamilton City Council's proposed increase of 25.5% for the 2024/25 financial year, and subsequent 14.1% rate hikes for the following four years, Taxpayers’ Union Head of Campaigns, Callum Purves, said: “While Hamilton City Council might ... More >>
Red Tape Won’t Keep Rooves Over Wellingtonians’ Heads
Thursday, 8 February 2024, 10:57 am | Taxpayers' Union
Wellington City councillors have been given advice recommending they alter the district plan to prevent housing intensification across huge swathes of the city. Commenting on this, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ... More >>
Government Could Reduce Prices With The Stroke Of A Pen
Wednesday, 7 February 2024, 11:26 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to calls for the Government to scrap New Zealand’s remaining import tariffs, Taxpayers’ Union Policy & Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: “Tariffs are a tax on consumers, and if there’s one thing Kiwis don’t ... More >>
New Zealand Must Advocate For Tobacco Harm Reduction At COP10
Wednesday, 7 February 2024, 10:13 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on New Zealand’s delegates to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) to oppose dangerous calls for further regulation and taxation of reduced-harm alternatives to smoking. ... More >>
