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New Zealand Taxpayers' Union - Latest News [Page 59]
There And Back Again: Taxpayers Shell Out For Epic Turtle Journey
Friday, 7 May 2021, 8:31 am | Taxpayers' Union
Taxpayers shelled out thousands of dollars transporting a dead turtle from Banks Peninsula to Wellington, storing it in a freezer for 21 months, then sending it back down to where it washed up for a high-powered and fully-catered powhiri, complete ... More >>
Don’t Spend The Money, Grant
Wednesday, 5 May 2021, 9:52 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is commending Public Service Minister Chris Hipkins’s decision to freeze pay for high-earning public servants. Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “With government debt is set to balloon beyond $100,000 per New Zealand household, ... More >>
Don’t Spend The Money, Grant
Tuesday, 4 May 2021, 11:28 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to the Finance Minister’s decision to reallocate $926 million from the COVID-19 response fund, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “Grant Robertson is acting like he’s got a spending target. Someone needs ... More >>
Rent Control? Stamp Duties? New Zealand Is Better Than This
Thursday, 29 April 2021, 5:54 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to confirmation that the Housing Minister has sought advice from officials on rent control , New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “Grant Robertson’s broken promises on residential taxes have led the Government ... More >>
Deposit Insurance Scheme Risks Bailouts For Ponzi Schemes
Thursday, 22 April 2021, 3:10 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Government’s inclusion of finance companies in its announced deposit insurance scheme opens the risk of Ponzi schemes receiving insurance payouts, courtesy of responsible savers, warns the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke ... More >>
Government Procurement Is Being Hijacked By Political Targets
Wednesday, 21 April 2021, 2:11 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Government procurement practices should not be skewed towards political targets, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union in response to new calls for indigenous procurement policies . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Government procurement should ... More >>
Health Reforms: Baby Thrown Out With Bathwater
Wednesday, 21 April 2021, 10:13 am | Taxpayers' Union
Amalgamation of DHBs is necessary, but going from 20 DHBs to just one authority takes centralisation too far, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . The Union ’s 2019 report Productivity in the Health Sector: Issues and Pressures argued in ... More >>
Attorney-General Must Take The Fall For Unlawful Ihumātao Deal
Tuesday, 20 April 2021, 3:28 pm | Taxpayers' Union
Responding To The Auditor-General’s Finding That The Government's $30 Million Ihumātao Deal Was Unlawful, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union Spokesman Louis Houlbrooke Says:“Today we learn that the Government didn’t just capitulate to illegal occupiers ... More >>
Hamilton City Council Shouldn’t Throw $10 Million Into A Pond
Tuesday, 20 April 2021, 12:55 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
"Hamilton City Council cannot justify contributing $10 million to an inland lagoon resort while it’s increasing rates by 8.9 percent," says New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke. “If the proposal makes good business ... More >>
National Party Support Of Amazon Corporate Welfare Cronyism Is A Disgrace
Friday, 16 April 2021, 4:19 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The National Party need to take a good hard look at themselves, following their Economic Development spokesperson’s endorsement of Kiwi taxpayers stumping up for welfare for the American multi billion dollar corporation, Amazon. Responding to ... More >>
ACC Should Ignore Robertson’s Muldoonist Diktats
Friday, 16 April 2021, 1:49 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is urging ACC to ignore diktats from the Minister of Finance . “ACC should be left to independently manage the hard-earned funds it receives from levy-payers,” says Union spokesman Jordan Williams. “It’s ... More >>
Amazon Has Taxpayers Over A Barrel
Friday, 16 April 2021, 10:41 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The $162 million subsidy for one of the world’s richest companies proves Amazon has New Zealand taxpayers over a barrel, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Treasury has previously warned that our ... More >>
More Tar, More Tax: Reduced-nicotine Proposal Will Make People Smoke More
Thursday, 15 April 2021, 9:54 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Government’s proposal to reduce nicotine in cigarettes by up to 95 percent is a dangerous intervention that will make people smoke more cigarettes, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Nicotine ... More >>
National Party Policy Better Than Taxing Housing Investment But Giving More Money To Wasteful Councils Counterproductive
Wednesday, 14 April 2021, 9:51 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the National Party’s housing policy to force councils to reduce the regulatory constraints on land supply, but has concerns about the blank cheque approach to giving councils even more money. “The biggest constraint ... More >>
Parliamentary Palace Will Not Have The Support Of Taxpayers
Tuesday, 13 April 2021, 2:33 pm | Taxpayers' Union
“The Speaker’s attempt to pitch a new Parliamentary palace as a ‘ wooden office block ’ will not fly with taxpayers,” says Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke. “Fundamentally, you can’t trust politicians with property projects. ... More >>
Hamilton City Council Must Investigate LGOIMA And Spin Doctor Costs
Monday, 12 April 2021, 11:29 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is stunned a Hamilton City Councillor is using inflated official information costs to pursue ‘utu’ on the Union for a series of exposés relating to the Council. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams said: “There ... More >>
Taxpayers’ Union Applauds Drawn Member’s Bill To End Bracket Creep
Thursday, 8 April 2021, 6:16 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Government must support Simon Bridges’s private member’s bill to end bracket creep drawn from the ballot today , says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “From a taxpayer perspective, this is one of the ... More >>
Tauranga CBD Needs A Commercial Rates Freeze
Wednesday, 7 April 2021, 12:09 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Tauranga City Council commissioners to freeze commercial rates in support of rejuvenating its CBD . Union spokesperson Louis Houlbrooke says, “Tauranga businesses are struggling to keep their doors open in ... More >>
Te Huia Train Service: $560 Taxpayer Subsidy For Every Passenger
Tuesday, 6 April 2021, 12:57 pm | Taxpayers' Union
Low interest in the opening run of the Te Huia train service is an omen of a ridiculously large taxpayer subsidy, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “The Waikato Regional Council Chair has said he wants to ... More >>
GWRC Tax Screw-up Should Result In A Sacking
Monday, 29 March 2021, 12:31 pm | Taxpayers' Union
Someone at Greater Wellington Regional Council needs to lose their job over a nine-year failure to pay the correct amount of tax, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “It appears Wellington ratepayers will ... More >>
