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Hi Friend,

Happy Friday! While the weather has been awful this week (thoughts with those whose lives and livelihoods are affected), it's been a wild ride for taxpayers too, with some wins, and some losses. 

We've exposed yet another $230,000 government logo, celebrated two taxpayer victories, and embarrassed the Commerce Commission for focus on their core job of promoting competition, spending $50,000 building their own "How to learn Te Reo" app that at least seven other departments have already developed. 🤦‍♂️

But first...

LGNZ President falls on sword (eventually...)💥



Too often in politics, there is a rather unbecoming tendency to dance on graves, and it's something that the whole team at the Taxpayers' Union are conscious not to pile into. 

But on the other hand, I wouldn't be doing my job not to update you about the disgraced former Selwyn Mayor (and Local Government New Zealand President) Sam Broughton finally doing the honourable thing and agreeing to stand down from leading LGNZ.

Last week, despite having been absolutely trounced at the election and losing his Majority, he was digging in and insisting he could serve as President for another 10 months (i.e. until next year's LGNZ AGM).

But just two days after, I was on <[link removed]>1 News to call him out for not stepping down <[link removed]>, and newly elected members had contacted LGNZ to express their concern, Broughton suddenly announced his resignation. 

Better late than never ✅

This is the right decision. Under Broughton's leadership, it's clear LGNZ became overly politicised and mistrusted. Auckland and Christchurch City Councils are among the councils that had quit, meaning LGNZ's membership doesn't represent even half of New Zealand's population. As we pointed out, fixing LGNZ was unlikely to come from the leadership that got it into this mess. <[link removed]>

Jordan has wished Sam Broughton the best of luck for the future, but also laid out the challenge for the new leadership. As he told media, it's a chance for LGNZ to hit the reset button and appoint someone on the side of local democracy, not the Labour Party, partisan politics, or anti-ratepayer activism. You can read his full statement here. <[link removed]>

Taxpayer Victory: Big banks back down after public pressure 🏦



Hot on the heels of Sam Broughton stepping down, we scored another big win this week — and it’s thanks to people power.

Earlier this year, your humble Taxpayers' Union was in Christchurch to protest outside the National Party Conference against a proposed law change to the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) <[link removed]>. The proposed law change would have let the banks off the hook by applying changes retrospectively, to kill off a live consumer class-action currently before the High Court involving tens of thousands of Kiwis fighting for fair compensation over unfair fees.

Thousands of Taxpayers' Union supporters backed us by emailing Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson, demanding they scrap the dirty deal.

And it worked. On Monday, the Government confirmed that the retrospective clause has been dropped. <[link removed]>

A huge thank you to everyone who came to the protest, emailed the Ministers, signed the petition, or donated to the campaign. The Big Banks might not love you, but we do! ❤️

Commerce Commission's $50,600 Te Reo Repeat 📱



Just when we thought the public sector’s app obsession had peaked, we've found out the Commerce Commission has jumped in with its own Te Pikitanga te reo language app – to teach its staff and stakeholders how to learn te reo – at a total cost of $50,600.

In case you've missed it, we’ve already uncovered $218,000 wasted across seven other agencies on similar apps <[link removed]>, each just reinventing the wheel. Now, inexplicably, the Commission has decided it needs its own too.

First, this kind of duplication highlights the problem with Wellington’s bureaucracy: every department wants its own pet project, even when the work has already been done somewhere else.

Second, it exposes that the Government's message about the public service focusing on core services hasn't got through. The ComCom's role is to promote competition and protect consumers. Quite how a Te Pikitanga serves that role is known only to the ComCom.

We checked whether the app includes te reo versions of the laws the ComCom is empowered to enforce – the Commerce Act or the Fair Trading Act. It doesn't even have that!

If agencies want staff to learn te reo, they can use one of the many programmes taxpayers have already paid for. In the meantime, how about spending taxpayer money on what an agency is actually tasked with doing?

Public sector strikes: Are the Labour Party's unions out of touch? 💼💸



While parts of the country remain under states of emergency after severe weather, public sector unions still chose to walk off the job yesterday. 

Public servants, on average, are paid a salary of $2,003 a week. That's compared to $1,592 in the private sector. Of course, we want nurses, teachers, etc paid fairly, but the sad truth is that until New Zealand gets growing again, it's a false economy to tax the productive economy more, to grow Government pay packets.

As explained by Taxpayers' Union Co-founder David Farrar over on Kiwiblog <[link removed]>, this is what yesterday's strike was rejecting:

- An offer to primary teachers that would see those paid over $100,000 increasing from 40% to 66%.


- Secondary teachers: $100,000+ earners would rise from 60% to 76%.


- Senior doctors: average total pay of $343,500, plus six weeks’ leave and a three-month sabbatical every six years.


- Senior nurses: average $125,662, with a further 2% pay rise.


- Graduate nurses: up from $75,773 to $84,150 by 2026.



Friend, taxpayers can at least count on one union that didn't walk off the job this week. The Taxpayers' Union will keep working to hold the Government to account.

$270,000 for logos before science even starts 🎨💸



Our investigations team have uncovered that the Government’s new science agency has blown $270,000 on logos, branding, and “visual identity.”

As picked up by The Post <[link removed]>, the agency managed to find room in its start-up budget for a quarter-million-dollar design project before it’s even done any science.

Rebrands and logo designs do not help taxpayers, and they do not help science.

This story came from a confidential tip-off, along with so many of our waste stories. Our investigations team are always on the lookout for new stories. If you have information you'd like to share, use our confidential tip line now to keep the pressure on <[link removed]>.

Council waste drives inflation higher 💸📈



New inflation figures released on Monday show the cost of living is still climbing - and local council rates are a big part of the problem.

Local authority rates and payments made up nearly 28% of quarterly inflation, with average rates up 34% in just three years. That means ratepayers are being hit twice: once through their bills, and again through the inflation those hikes are fuelling.

It’s more proof that local government spending is out of control. Kiwis can’t afford endless rate hikes: it’s time for the Government to cap rates now.

That’s why we’re backing councillors who’ve signed our Ratepayer Protection Pledge and calling on others to follow their lead and cap council rates. It’s time to bring some discipline back to local government.


Taxpayer Talk: A warning from Australia on the growing black market in tobacco 🚬💰



This week on Taxpayer Talk, Jordan sits down with Rowan Pike - international consultant, former Australian Federal Police officer, and Customs and Border Force expert - to unpack Australia’s exploding illicit tobacco trade.

With around half of all cigarettes now coming from the black market, Rowan explains how sky-high excise taxes have fuelled organised crime, gang violence, and a thriving underground industry. He also shares what New Zealand can learn before making the same mistakes.

If you care about harm reduction, smarter regulation, and keeping communities safe, this episode’s worth a listen.

👉 Listen to the full episode here <[link removed]>, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm off to Northland this weekend to celebrate six months since arriving in New Zealand and starting at the Taxpayers' Union.



Have a great long weekend - and stay safe in this crazy weather!


Tory Relf
Head of Comms
New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union


In the Media:

The PostChristopher Luxon is now a liability for National <[link removed]>

The Post The question Nicola Willis needed to ask: Why keep the power companies? <[link removed]>

The PostRevealed: $270k taxpayer bill for new science agency logos and rebrands <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZB The Huddle: Did anyone care about the climate disclosure rules? <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZB Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive: Full Show Podcast, 22 October 2025 <[link removed]>

Cambridge NewsNews in brief <[link removed]>

Radio New Zealand AudioAround the motu: RNZ's Manawatu reporter, Jimmy Ellingham <[link removed]>

The PostSam Broughton to cut short presidency of Local Government New Zealand <[link removed]>

StuffLive: Higher electricity prices and local council rates to blame for 15-month high inflation increase <[link removed]>

Otago Daily TimesReining in the rates rises <[link removed]>

New Zealand Herald National’s reprieve short-lived as Govt’s anti-strike squad assembles - Adam Pearse <[link removed]>

Waikato Times$131k here, one cent there: How Kāinga Ora spent $7m renovating 120 houses in just one year <[link removed]>

The Platform Michael Laws Says Senior Doctors And Teachers Don't Care - Time To End Their Right To Strike <[link removed]>

Stuff Our economic reform was brave and saved NZ. And Bolger and I did it together, says Ruth Richardson <[link removed]>

Waikato Times Peter Revell gets a big tick in Thames Coromandel <[link removed]>

New Zealand Taxpayers' Union Inc. · 117 Lambton Quay, Level 4, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
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