New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

New Zealand Taxpayers' Union - Latest News [Page 73]

National STILL Won’t Commit To Cutting Fuel Tax

Friday, 28 February 2020, 11:31 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

An RNZ headline this morning proclaims that National is ‘ promising to scrap fuel tax if elected ’. But the official press statement from National’s Finance spokesman Paul Goldsmith says otherwise. New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman ... More >>

Wealthy Politicians And Bureaucrats Should Give Up Their Super

Thursday, 27 February 2020, 1:04 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

In response to reports that 30,000 New Zealanders earning over $100,000 are taking superannuation, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Casey Russell says: “It’s clear that many wealthy New Zealanders are collecting superannuation they don’t ... More >>

Exposed: The Shocking $6.2m Bill To Rebrand Fire Services

Tuesday, 25 February 2020, 12:58 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

The $6,254,064 cost of rebranding New Zealand’s fire services is a shocking indictment on the merger of rural and urban services, which was meant to save taxpayer money, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . The spending figures were tabled to select ... More >>

Vaping Crackdown Bill Needs Improvement

Sunday, 23 February 2020, 12:49 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

Details of the Government's newly-announced vaping crackdown may keep New Zealanders smoking and paying exorbitant excise taxes, says the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union. Taxpayers' Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, "We welcome the decision not ... More >>

Adrian Orr Short Staffed? Tell Him He’s Dreaming

Thursday, 20 February 2020, 3:56 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on MPs to reject Adrian Orr’s crocodile tears and claims he needs a increase in budget to cover exploding staff costs at the Reserve Bank. Responding to Mr Orr’s comments before the Finance and Expenditure Select ... More >>

Enough Is Enough – Taxpayers Aren't Stumping Up, Build The Houses Already

Wednesday, 19 February 2020, 1:09 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

The Taxpayers' Union says Fletcher Building needs to get on with the job of building houses rather than holding out for a taxpayer bailout of Ihumātao which most taxpayers are clear they don't want. Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, "The backroom ... More >>

Taxpayer-funded Homeopathy Courses Are An Embarrassment

Tuesday, 18 February 2020, 1:43 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is perplexed at the prospect of the continued funding of homeopathy courses by the government and is calling on the Minister of Education Chris Hipkins to immediately cease any further funding to the subject. ... More >>

Why are taxpayers paying to design an electric ferry?

Tuesday, 18 February 2020, 11:19 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

“Callaghan Innovation’s $440,000 grant for an electric ferry design is pure corporate welfare,” says New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke. “If EV Maritime’s ferries present such good value, then why didn’t it get private ... More >>

Maori Mythology, And Governor Temper Tantrums, Have No Place At The Reserve Bank Of New Zealand

Tuesday, 18 February 2020, 12:27 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

The extraordinary events reported by the Sunday Star Times yesterday about the Governor of the Reserve Bank “agitated and clearly unhappy” exchanges in a Koru lounge and airport do not reflect well on what was once a leading office in New Zealand, ... More >>

Bridges’s economic ambitions underwhelming

Monday, 17 February 2020, 2:56 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

It’s not worth putting much credence in Simon Bridges’s complaints about the current Government’s piling on hikes in petrol taxes until he commits to reversing them, says the Taxpayers’ Union . Spokesman Louis Houlbrooke said, “It’s not ... More >>

Taxpayers Fund Ridiculous Study Claiming A Weekly Lotto Ticket As Costly As An Amputated Leg

Monday, 17 February 2020, 11:53 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Ministry of Health to demand back the $319,000 of taxpayers spent on a flawed study suggesting a weekly lotto ticket is as harmful as an amputated leg and that occasional gambling is comparable to having a heart ... More >>

Dispute Over Urban Development Bill Caused By Twyford’s Failure On RMA

Monday, 17 February 2020, 10:45 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

“The Government’s current dispute with councils regarding the Urban Development Bill is the result of Phil Twyford’s failure to cut red tape on a broader basis,” says New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke. “In Opposition, ... More >>

Government Needs To Tell SkyPath Trust Where To Go, Not Write A Cheque For $1.8m

Thursday, 13 February 2020, 2:10 pm | Taxpayers' Union

A payment of $1.8 million of taxpayers' money to a private lobby group, apparently for intellectual property of the cycleway and walkway over the Auckland Harbour bridge, is a direct subsidy for a political campaign rather than good value for money, says ... More >>

Taxpayer Victory: Hipkins Confirms Tuturumuri Closure!

Thursday, 13 February 2020, 12:00 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

After pressure from the Taxpayers’ Union , Education Minister Chris Hipkins has now confirmed he will close Tuturumuri School – a taxpayer-funded school with a roll of zero. Last week, the Taxpayers’ Union visited Tuturumuri and made inquiries ... More >>

David Parker Is Right To Skewer Bludging Rio Tinto

Thursday, 13 February 2020, 10:57 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

Environment Minister David Parker is right to slam Rio Tinto for linking its delayed clean-up of hazardous waste with its internal strategic review, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “In Opposition, Minister ... More >>

National Signs On To Spending Race

Tuesday, 11 February 2020, 11:59 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

11 FEBRUARY 2019 Responding to the announcement from National Party Transport Spokesman Chris Bishop this morning, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “It’s official: the taxpayer-funded bidding war has begun. Regardless ... More >>

Taxpayers’ Union welcomes SFO investigation of donations

Monday, 10 February 2020, 4:58 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

The Taxpayers’ Union welcomes the Electoral Commission’s referral of NZ First Foundation donations to the Police (and in turn the Serious Fraud Office) – so the public can have confidence before this year’s election whether the Deputy Prime ... More >>