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New Zealand Taxpayers' Union - Latest News [Page 58]
Forcing Ratepayers To Pay For A Service They Don’t Want Is Nasty – Commissioners Must Act
Thursday, 11 March 2021, 2:35 pm | Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Tauranga City Council’s Commissioners to ensure residents can ‘opt out’ of the Council’s new rubbish collection service and not be financially penalised. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director ... More >>
Tauranga Commissioners' Proposal For 22% Rate Hike Stirs Action
Wednesday, 10 March 2021, 2:47 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is committing to creating a Tauranga Ratepayers’ Alliance following the alarming news from the unelected Council commissioners that they plan on a 22% then 12% cumulative rate hikes over the next two years. Taxpayers’ Union ... More >>
A Spoonful Of $50m Does Not Help The $2b Cost Of A National Electric Bus Fleet Go Down
Monday, 8 March 2021, 5:31 pm | Taxpayers' Union
The government’s plan to convert New Zealand’s public bus fleet to electric would cost $1,947,750,000 for the current 2597 buses alone, says the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union . That is a $1000 cost for every New Zealand household. Each new ... More >>
Wellington’s 13.5% Rate Hike Should See Library Sale Back On The Table
Saturday, 6 March 2021, 2:08 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is condemning Wellington City Council’s refusal to consult on the privatisation of the central library as undemocratic. “Wellingtonians threatened with a 13.5 percent rate hike deserve a full menu of cost-saving options ... More >>
National's Proposal To Pay Full Wages For People Self-isolating Is A Welcome One, Says The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.
Thursday, 4 March 2021, 11:16 am | Taxpayers' Union
National's proposal to pay full wages for people self-isolating is a welcome one, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “It's a version of what we proposed last year in our first COVID-19 briefing paper ... More >>
Hutt City Council Matter Is Dirty Politics At Its Finest
Wednesday, 3 March 2021, 10:20 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The public attacks and investigations against a Hutt City Councillor asking questions about allegations relating to the Mayor, look more like a vindictive witch hunt than a Council striving for good ethical standards, says the Taxpayers’ Union . “For ... More >>
Tauranga Super City? Be Careful What You Wish For
Tuesday, 2 March 2021, 3:23 pm | Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling for calmer heads to prevail after former Tauranga Mayor Tenby Powell’s calls for an amalgamation of the district’s councils into a mini ‘super city’. “Intellectually, bigger might sound better or more efficient, ... More >>
Why Is David Parker Commissioning Voodoo Economics From Treasury?
Thursday, 25 February 2021, 10:29 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Treasury’s research on the ‘economic income’ of high-wealth individuals is voodoo economics, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “David Parker has commissioned research from Treasury estimating ... More >>
Delay In The Release Of Costings Of Matariki Public Holiday A Display Of Arrogant Governance
Monday, 22 February 2021, 10:25 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Government’s decision not to release official advice on the cost to employers of introducing a Matariki public holiday at the same time or before the Prime Minister’s commitment to the policy is a middle finger to good process and informed policy debate, ... More >>
Mahuta’s Screwed Māori Wards Consultation Should See Bill Returned To Committee
Friday, 19 February 2021, 9:37 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is condemning Local Government Minister Nanaia Muhata’s decision to give local councils supporting her Māori wards legislation advance notice of the short submission process. This decision was revealed by National ... More >>
Kāpiti Council Must Not Fall Into $4.6 Million Provincial Growth Fund Trap
Friday, 19 February 2021, 9:36 am | Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is warning Kāpiti Coast District Council against falling into the trap of spending millions on a new information centre just because the Provincial Growth Fund is putting up half the funding. The Taxpayers’ Union ... More >>
Finance Minister Must Rule Out Departure Tax
Thursday, 18 February 2021, 2:52 pm | Taxpayers' Union
Responding to the release of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s new tourism report , New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “The Climate Commissioner’s mad proposal to charge New Zealanders up to $155 ... More >>
Waikato Regional Council Profiteering From COVID ‘disgusting’
Wednesday, 17 February 2021, 3:05 pm | Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is condemning Waikato Regional Council’s proposal to hike rates by 7.3% after running an operating surplus of nearly $3 million dollars due to the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. Union spokesperson Louis Houlbrooke said: “Given ... More >>
Corporate Welfare Model For Private Media Is 'scary' And Will Drive Out Minority Voices
Friday, 12 February 2021, 2:03 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming the Government’s decision to give the $50 million ‘news and journalism fund’ to NZ on Air and says that it will see cozying up to Government and leftwing interests. “Instead of following an Australian or Canadian ... More >>
Auditor-General’s Scrutiny Of COVID-19 Spending Welcomed
Thursday, 11 February 2021, 12:21 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has welcomed the Auditor-General’s challenge for greater transparency in the Government’s COVID-19 response spending. Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “We absolutely agree that more transparency ... More >>
Oranga Tamariki Chairman Matthew Tukaki’s Attacks On Simon Bridges And Others Warrant Resignation
Monday, 8 February 2021, 4:26 pm | Taxpayers' Union
The social media attacks on Simon Bridges by the Chairman of Oranga Tamariki’s new Advisory Board is bizarre, unbecoming, and warrant resignation, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Since being coming Chair of the group – ironically ... More >>
NZ History Curriculum Must Cover 1980s Reforms
Thursday, 4 February 2021, 6:22 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The proposed New Zealand History curriculum must be amended with material on the economic reform of the 1980s, says the Taxpayers' Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “The proposed New Zealand History curriculum is bereft of economic history, ... More >>
Heads Must Roll At Dunedin City Council Over Lead In Water
Wednesday, 3 February 2021, 11:18 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling for heads to roll at Dunedin City Council after residents were left unaware of lead contamination of their drinking water of four times the allowable levels. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Providing ... More >>
Tauranga Commissioners Must Commit To Caretaker Mode
Wednesday, 3 February 2021, 10:35 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Tauranga City Council’s commissioners to follow constitutional convention and run the Council in a caretaker mode before elected governance can be re-established. “Suggestions that unelected Commissioners ... More >>
Māori Wards: Loss Of Accountability Necessitates Recall Option
Monday, 1 February 2021, 6:30 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Stronger accountability tools for local government will be needed if the Government succeeds in entrenching Māori wards, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “As more councils introduce Māori wards, a significant ... More >>
