Christmas Newsletter from the Taxpayers' Union

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Dear Friend,

As we wrap up the year and before the staff knock-off, the team are reflecting on a challenging but successful 2023 and looking to the year ahead. 

Some highlights of what our supporters made possible this year

How we Scrapped Three Waters

  • The pressure from the public surrounding Three Waters became too much for the Government. Our polling when Chris Hipkins became PM revealed we had turned it into the number one policy voters wanted Hipkins to scrap – including among Labour supporters. Labour substantially watered down their Three Waters policy (but still kept the worst elements). 

  • Labour were so worried, they re-branded Three Waters to 'Affordable Water Reform'.  But no one was fooled...

  • National and ACT's Three Waters proposals were in line with our alternative.

  • We made significant progress in drafting our replacement Three Waters bill which will end co-governance, restore local ownership and lead to higher quality, more efficient delivery of water services. 

And in the new year, the work will continue. We've scrapped Three Waters – but we need to ensure the replacement is up to snuff.

Three Waters 2.0 – Stopping David Parker's 'Central Planning Committees' power grab

And more...

A Christmas feast that satisfies the government health tsars

While Kiwis are busy preparing for a day of eating and drinking with loved ones, one of our interns has been busy preparing a Christmas feast that abides by all of the government’s dietary and health guidelines.  

Among the hundreds of pages of guidance and bureaucratic jargon, there is a whole range of health guideline suggesting that the almighty health overlords know how you should live your life better than you yourself. 

And the result is frankly depressing. You're gonna have to put the Christmas ham away, and alcohol? Don't even think about it. 

For breakfast, you're allowed two wheatmeal slices of bread with 40 grams of peanut butter and a 200ml cappuccino with 100ml of milk on the side.

Then, for your ‘big’ (government approved) Christmas Lunch, the official government guidelines would let you have 60 grams of roast lamb, topped with 3.4 grams of gravy, 1 unsalted baked potato, 2 unsalted baked kumaras, 1 carrot, 1 broccoli, and 15ml of cheese sauce to drip on top. You’re also allowed to have a pint of alcohol-free beer to wash it all down. Yum!

For dessert, we’ve lined up 19 grams of pavlova, to be served with a banana, half a kiwifruit, 1 strawberry, and topped with 8 grams of whipped cream. You’re also welcome to have half a mince pie, half a slice of fruit cake, and a quarter of a scoop of vanilla ice-cream (with no added sugar of course).

And for dinner... don't be silly. After those three meals you've nearly exceeded your government-approved daily limit and you'll be left with a handful of small snacks to tide you over through the night. 

If you're up for a sad Christmas this year, or you're just interested to see what the Ministry of Health does with its time, you can read the full report here. 

The Tax on Christmas 

For most of us, Christmas is about giving. But, for the Tax Man, it’s all about taking. Connor wraps up the year with a special video revealing the incredible reach of the “Tax on Christmas”.

Looking for some summer listening?

This year we released 19 new episodes of our podcast, Taxpayer Talk, featuring MPs, councillors, bureaucrats, policy experts, Taxpayers' Union board members, a Lord, and more. 

If you find yourself with any spare time over the break, you can catch up with Taxpayer Talk on our website | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

One last thing🎅🏻🎄

As you've seen Friend, no one can say we haven't worked hard this year! But everything done and accomplished has been thanks to the support of hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders who support our work, and the tens of thousands who donate and make our work possible. 

If you agree that it is important that we keep up the momentum next year –  and ensure the government delivers the fundamental reforms required to get New Zealand back on a path to prosperity – please embrace the holiday giving spirit and chip in to our 2024 fighting fund with an end of year donation.

Donate

From all of the team at the Taxpayers' Union, wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Jordan

Jordan_signature.jpg
Jordan Williams
Executive Director
New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.

 

Media coverage:

NZ Herald Govt announces review of Kāinga Ora, Christopher Luxon responds to criticism over publicly-funded te reo lessons

Otago Daily Times Taxpayers foot bill for Luxon's reo Māori lessons

RNZ The Panel with David Cunliffe and Nalini Baruch (Part 1)

1 News PM denies his taxpayer-funded te reo Māori lessons are hypocritical

RNZ PM in hot water over tax payer funded te reo tuition

NZ Herald Gerry Brownlee off to a solid start as Speaker - Audrey Young

Rural News Tough Times

Interest.co.nz Finance Minister Nicola Willis wants Treasury to report fiscal risks more clearly



Authorised by The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union Inc. Level 4, 117 Lambton Quay, Wellington.