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New Zealand Taxpayers' Union - Latest News [Page 71]
High Minimum Wage Pours Fuel On The Unemployment Fire
Tuesday, 14 April 2020, 11:49 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Treasury's scenarios of unemployment peaking at 13 or even 26 percent show how harmful the timing of the Government's minimum wage hike was, says the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union . Taxpayers' Union spokesperson Louis Houlbrooke says, "Treasury indicates ... More >>
Seymour Bill For 20% MP Pay Cut Good As Far As It Goes
Tuesday, 14 April 2020, 10:48 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on MPs to back a bill put forward by ACT MP David Seymour which would see their pay cut by 20% for the 12 week duration of the Government’s wage subsidy programme, but says that it should go much further in preventing the ... More >>
Campaign Launched: Public Sector Pay Cuts For COVID-19 Relief
Thursday, 9 April 2020, 2:27 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has launched a new campaign to temporarily reduce the remuneration of politicians, senior bureaucrats, and council bosses to match those voluntary and involuntary efforts in the private sector where pay is being ... More >>
Government Must Pull Breaks On Electoral Amendment Bill
Monday, 6 April 2020, 4:04 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is urging the Government to halt its non-essential legislative agenda, including the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Bill, until the worst of COVID-19 has passed. Taxpayers' Union spokesperson Islay ... More >>
Auckland And Wellington City Councils Must Follow Christchurch On Rates Freeze
Monday, 6 April 2020, 12:39 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is calling on Phil Goff and Andy Foster to follow the lead of Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel, who has reportedly asked council staff to plan for a rate freeze . Taxpayers' Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, "Mayor More >>
Wellington City Council's Borrowing Plans Are Immoral
Friday, 3 April 2020, 12:52 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Wellington Mayor Andy Foster’s plan to cover revenue shortfalls through borrowing without cutting low priority spending is immoral, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . “Businesses and households across the country are meeting financial challenges ... More >>
Race-based Pandemic Funding Disgraceful
Wednesday, 1 April 2020, 1:51 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is slamming today’s announcement of $25 million — $10 million for local iwi groups and $15 million for Whānau Ora providers — and says that funding based on skin colour at a time when the nation needs to come ... More >>
Cross-party Consensus That Councils Must Turn Minds To Cutting Rates Welcomed
Wednesday, 1 April 2020, 12:11 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the comments from Finance Minister Grant Robertson, and National Party MP Gerry Brownlee, calling on councils across New Zealand to look at their books and see what is possible to reduce the rates burden on New Zealanders. ... More >>
“We Wellington” Waste Should See CCO Funding Frozen
Wednesday, 1 April 2020, 9:39 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Wellington City and Wellington Regional Councils to freeze the funding of their economic and tourism promotion agency after its ill-judged “We Wellington” campaign - wasting tens of thousands in ratepayer ... More >>
Christchurch City Council Must Do More For Ratepayers
Tuesday, 31 March 2020, 4:23 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is welcoming Christchurch City Council's decision to allow delayed rates payments, but says the relief plan doesn't go far enough. Taxpayers' Union spokesperson Islay Aitchison says, "It's a good thing that ... More >>
Select Committees Must Defer Submission Deadlines In Light Of COVID-19 Crisis
Monday, 30 March 2020, 12:48 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is joining calls for the Government to extend submission deadlines for Select Committees during the immediate fallout of the COVID-19 crisis. New Zealand Taxpayers' Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, "Old political ... More >>
Support builds for suspending KiwiSaver subsidy
Friday, 27 March 2020, 2:41 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is joining calls for the Government to suspend its KiwiSaver subsidy during the economic fallout of COVID-19. More >>
Councils Failing To Livestream During Lockdown Must Get With The Times
Friday, 27 March 2020, 12:09 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is slamming councils that refuse to livestream meetings . Taxpayers' Union spokesperson Islay Aitchison says, "COVID-19 is not an excuse to make public decisions behind closed doors. In fact, as councils ... More >>
Rates Freeze: Dunedin City Council Sets An Example, Cuts Salaries
Thursday, 26 March 2020, 2:35 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to news that Dunedin City Council's executive leadership team are taking pay cuts for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, New Zealand Taxpayers' Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: "This is a sensible decision that acknowledges the pressures ... More >>
One Council Demonstrates Leadership With Rates Freeze
Tuesday, 24 March 2020, 2:53 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to Waikato Regional Council's preliminary decision to cancel scheduled rate hikes in light of COVID-19, New Zealand Taxpayers' Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: "Waikato Regional Council should be applauded for its urgent action on ... More >>
Campaign For Nationwide Rates Freeze Launched
Friday, 20 March 2020, 1:53 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union has launched a campaign aiming to force New Zealand’s mayors and regional council chairs to commit to a 12-month rates freeze in light of current economic challenges. While the Government prioritises economic relief for struggling ... More >>
Exclusive: Ministry Of Health Hasn't Asked Where Staff Have Traveled
Thursday, 19 March 2020, 2:21 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Ministry of Health has not been asking staff returning from overseas where they traveled, the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union has learned. An information response from the Director-General's office confirms that " The Ministry has not actively ... More >>
Tax Relief For Air Travel Welcomed
Thursday, 19 March 2020, 1:00 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union welcomes the Government's move to cover the cost of passenger-based taxes for air travel in the next six months. Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: "We're very pleased to see the Government acknowledge and remove ... More >>
Wellington Rates Hike: Deferred Meeting Should Consider A Freeze
Wednesday, 18 March 2020, 11:59 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union has welcomed Wellington City Council's decision to defer a meeting that would have Councillors choose between rates hikes of 9.2% and 7.9%. Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, "At a time when central government ... More >>
Aviation Package Unknowns A Cause For Concern
Wednesday, 18 March 2020, 10:32 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers' Union is urging the Government to rule out giving taxpayer-funded handouts to privately owned airports such as Auckland International Airport Ltd, in ways which would serve to protect shareholders rather than focusing on keeping ... More >>
