Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

September 22, 2020 at 1:02 AM

Taxpayer Update: Jacinda v Judith | Bold tax policies | Phil me once

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Jacinda vs Judith Tonight at 7pm Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins face off in TVNZ's first election debate. It's hosted by John Campbell and you can watch it on TV 1. At the same time, another debate takes place in Queenstown: each parties' fin…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Joe Ascroft, Taxpayers' Union Economist · [email protected]

September 16, 2020 at 2:09 AM

Decade of deficits revealed as Treasury opens the books

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, I’m writing to you from the media and analyst “lock-up” where Treasury just presented its Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update. The Update, which the Public Finance Act requires of Treasury just prior to every election, lays bare the Governmen…

See More from Joe Ascroft, Taxpayers' Union Economist

  David Farrar · [email protected]

September 14, 2020 at 8:07 PM

Help us stop the Greens' tax on your home and retirement 🏠

NationBuilder Dear Friend, When we defeated Labour’s capital gains tax last year, we thought we had beaten back the extreme tax proposals promoted by the left to target homeowners, business owners, and retirees. But it’s come back much sooner than expected.     I'm emailing to as…

See More from David Farrar

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

September 9, 2020 at 4:34 AM

Labour's new tax won't slay the Debt Monster

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Labour’s new tax is about envy, not slaying the Debt Monster Pictured: Grant Robertson and Stuart Nash avoid eye contact with the Debt Monster outside today’s policy announcement Earlier today Grant Robertson announced the Labour Party’s…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

September 7, 2020 at 1:24 AM

Taxpayer Update: Politicians kill jobs | MP's office rort | Goodie bags

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, New paper reveals how 'job creation' projects destroy jobs Too often, our politicians fall into the trap of thinking they can create jobs by piling on more and more government taxpayer spending. But if that were true, high-spending countries like…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

August 28, 2020 at 10:25 PM

Police plan to turn motorists into cash cows

NationBuilder Dear Friend, Did you see the news break yesterday that the Police are abolishing their 10km/h speed tolerance nationwide? That means that from today Police will be issuing fines for going as little as 101km/h on the open road – even when passing another vehicle…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  David Farrar · [email protected]

August 27, 2020 at 11:36 PM

Just 50 days – can you step up?

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Today marks just 50 days until the election, and the extra delay means more time for politicians to waste our money to buy votes. I’m emailing today to ask for your support to help fight the politicians and parties wasting your money on pork-barrel p…

See More from David Farrar

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

August 23, 2020 at 11:08 PM

Taxpayer Update: Bloomfield ad | Recall elections | Burger subsidies

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Labour uses Ashley Bloomfield for the election campaign On Saturday the Labour Party posted a new ad on its Facebook page. The ad was filmed in the Ministry of Health's contact tracing centre and included a number of public servants, including D…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

August 20, 2020 at 7:02 PM

Step up for a stronger democracy – support recall elections

NationBuilder Dear Friend, In New Zealand, if you elect a mayor or councillor who immediately misbehaves, that politician is safe in their seat until their three-year term is up. I'm asking you to help change this. Voter recall options are gaining popularity overseas and it's…

See More from Jordan Williams

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

August 14, 2020 at 12:24 AM

Taxpayer update: We’re printing money. There’s got to be a better way.

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, In the nearly seven years I’ve been running the Taxpayers’ Union, it’s fair to say the last few weeks have been the strangest. We totally rewrote our election campaign strategy following COVID the first time. We scrapped the election “Bribe-O-Met…

See More from Jordan Williams

  Louis Houlbrooke, Taxpayers' Union · [email protected]

August 7, 2020 at 12:39 AM

This is a $90,000 email

NationBuilder Dear Friend, The Government is borrowing $1,125 every second. So by the time you read to the bottom of this email, another $90,000 will be added to our national mortgage. This debt will continue to grow until at least 2024, when it is forecast to total $200 billion …

See More from Louis Houlbrooke, Taxpayers' Union

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

August 4, 2020 at 10:54 PM

Taxpayer Update: Damning report | Green manifesto | Debt Monster selfie

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Damning report on Provincial Growth Fund confirms pork barrelling, conflicts, and worse A damning new report from the Auditor-General has confirmed what your humble Taxpayers' Union has been saying about the Provincial Growth Fund all along. He …

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

July 24, 2020 at 12:32 AM

Taxpayer Update: He’s green, he’s hairy, and he’s coming for your kids

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, He’s green, he’s hairy, and he’s coming for your kids This week we introduced a new character to New Zealand politics – the Debt Monster. The Debt Monster is stalking politicians of all stripes as they campaign across the country. He loves it wh…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

July 15, 2020 at 4:21 AM

Here's who won a "Jonesie" for wasting your money

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, We've had a big day hosting our third annual Jonesie Awards, celebrating the best of the worst of government waste from the last 12 months. --> Click here to watch the full ceremony <-- If you just want to know who won, scroll down. Behind the…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

July 14, 2020 at 11:04 PM

LIVE from Parliament, the 2020 Jonesie Awards for Government Waste

NationBuilder Dear Friend, The team are about to kick-off the annual Jonesie Awards for government waste at Parliament. The Jonesie Awards match the spirit of the annual entertainment awards season – complete with golden swine trophies – to recognise the best of the worst of gove…

See More from Jordan Williams

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

July 8, 2020 at 10:11 PM

Taxpayer Update: Rio Tinto | Posters | Envy tax

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Pay back the money, Rio Tinto This morning it was announced that Rio Tinto plans to close operations at its Tiwai Point smelter near Invercargill. This comes after Rio Tinto received a $30 million bailout from taxpayers in 2013 to “future proof…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

June 29, 2020 at 3:32 AM

The Green Party just put taxpayers in the firing line

NationBuilder Dear Friend, I am seriously concerned about this year's election. The Green Party have just received fawning media coverage for their newest policy package: a new tax on wealth, higher income taxes, and massive hikes to benefits. At the very time we need to get New…

See More from Jordan Williams

  Louis Houlbrooke, Taxpayers' Union · [email protected]

June 29, 2020 at 12:02 AM

Nominations are now open

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, The invites have been sent, the red carpet booked, pig trophies polished, and Porky's tux is back from the dry cleaner. All that's needed now is your nominations for the 2020 Jonesies. The Jonesies are our golden glitz and glamour Oscars-style award …

See More from Louis Houlbrooke, Taxpayers' Union

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

June 24, 2020 at 7:30 PM

Taxpayer Update: Ihumātao | Sack Dr Clark | Posters investigated

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Will Winston put the kibosh on the Ihumātao deal? After months of delays, it's been reported again that the Government is on the verge of purchasing the land at Ihumātao using $30 million of taxpayer money. This would be a disgraceful capitulati…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

June 18, 2020 at 1:15 AM

Trevor Mallard won't like this.

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Last year, Parliament's Speaker Trevor Mallard announced the opening of an "architecturally-designed" playground on Parliament's front lawn. Until just recently, the Taxpayers' Union were the only ones asking questions about the cost. We had a s…

See More from Jordan Williams

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

June 12, 2020 at 10:14 PM

Taxpayer Update: Statue madness | Taxpayer-funded propaganda | $4000 for tea

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Statue controversy is pathetic We are currently facing the economic fallout of a literal pandemic. But our country's media and politicians have decided the biggest issue affecting New Zealanders is whether or not our statues are racist. On Thurs…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

June 10, 2020 at 10:06 PM

There are 100 days left

NationBuilder Dear Friend, There are now just 100 days until New Zealanders vote on 19 September. The result of the election will determine whether politicians like Jacinda Ardern, Winston Peters, and the Greens will be in charge of managing terrifying amounts of government deb…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

May 29, 2020 at 11:06 PM

Taxpayer Update: Race-based hospital waiting lists | Chch rates U-turn | Public health follies

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, DHB prioritises patients according to race We were amazed to find out this week that Wellington's DHB now has a policy which moves Māori and Pacific patients to the front of their elective surgery queues. We all pay tax into the health system wi…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

May 22, 2020 at 3:32 AM

Taxpayer Update: What will PM Muller do | Race-based funding | Pork 🐷

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, The National Party has a new Leader This afternoon, Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller successfully challenged Simon Bridges for the National Party Leadership. While we don't endorse political parties, we watch National very closely as a party of 'lim…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

May 18, 2020 at 9:59 PM

Taxpayer Update: Debt clock launched | Tram shelved | Rock bottom journalism

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Watch Government debt tick up in real time Following the Budget’s eye-wateringly high debt forecast, the team have been thinking about how to best illustrate what it looks like to borrow $200.8 billion by 2024 (or $109,700 …

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

May 14, 2020 at 2:55 AM

Budget 2020: What taxpayers need to know

NationBuilder Dear Friend, As I write this, Grant Robertson is unveiling Budget 2020 in Parliament. Two members of our team have just emerged from the pre-Budget briefing. Below, our Consulting Economist Joe Ascroft summarises the contents of the Budget and what it will mean fo…

See More from Jordan Williams

  David Farrar · [email protected]

May 13, 2020 at 7:46 PM

Special interest groups are profiting from COVID-19

NationBuilder Dear Friend, Today is Budget Day, and frankly I'm expecting bad news for taxpayers. Special interest groups are successfully exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to spend your money on their pet projects. First it was cycleways and "Māori businesses". Now it's horse racin…

See More from David Farrar

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

May 12, 2020 at 3:37 AM

Taxpayer Update: What to look for on Thursday | 18 days of reading about rock lobster

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, This will be a big week for taxpayers. Thursday is Budget Day, when Grant Robertson will decide how to spend around $100 billion of your money. As usual, we're sending staff to the Budget Day lock-up briefing. This event gives economists, sector …

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Jordan Williams, Taxpayers' Union · [email protected]

May 1, 2020 at 10:58 PM

Taxpayer Update: More pay cut victories | Business loan bonanza | Where's Heather? | Where's David?

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, State Services Commissioner throws his weight behind our pay cut campaign! 🎉 We've had another major win in our campaign for the public sector to share the financial burden of COVID-19. Last month, we wrote to the State Services Commissioner an…

See More from Jordan Williams, Taxpayers' Union

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

April 21, 2020 at 11:08 PM

Taxpayer Update: Public sector pay | Winston's failure | Message for the left

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, The 'public sector pay cut' needs to go much, much further A week ago, we welcomed the Prime Minister's six-month 20% pay cut for government ministers and public sector CEOs. However, the announcement came with fine print: the CEO pay cut only a…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Barrie Saunders · [email protected]

April 15, 2020 at 8:30 PM

Now is the time to join with others

NationBuilder Dear Friend, The economy is in free fall, taxpayers are losing their jobs, and we have Labour/Green/NZ First Government with a ready made excuse to spend more and load debt onto the next generation. Never before has a voice for fiscal restraint and value-for-money b…

See More from Barrie Saunders

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

April 15, 2020 at 1:57 AM

Policy victory! PM announces 20% pay cut for Ministers & Government CEOs

NationBuilder Dear Friend, We did it!! Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has just announced a six-month 20% pay cut for all central government CEOs and Ministers. This is the result of people power Just like the wins we clocked up with councils committing to freezing rates across the…

See More from Jordan Williams

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

April 11, 2020 at 12:01 AM

It's time for public sector pay cuts

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Happy Easter. As you'll see in the media summary at the bottom of this email, we've been busy all week with our rates freeze campaign. Slowly but surely, our efforts are resulting in more and more councils commit to freezing rates. But before we …

See More from Jordan Williams

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

April 2, 2020 at 12:53 AM

We're on the cusp of a rates freeze revolution

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, The campaign for a nationwide rates freeze is moving along quickly. Find out where your council stands on a rates freeze With new reports coming from across the country daily, we've set up a dashboard to keep track of which councils are signaling…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

March 27, 2020 at 1:23 AM

Taxpayer Update: New podcast | Rates freeze update | Arts bailout

NationBuilder Dear Friend, Day two in isolation – we hope that you and your family are safe and comfortable in our new albeit temporary 'way of life'. It's time to pull together, apart. The Taxpayers' Union team is fortunate. We can work from home, and had already been triall…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

March 20, 2020 at 12:35 AM

Will you join us in calling for a nationwide freeze on council taxes?

NationBuilder Dear Friend, As we enter a deep recession as a result of COVID-19, Kiwi families and business owners are struggling to work out how they'll cover existing costs, let alone new ones. Now is the worst possible time for rates to go up. But, incredibly, most council…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Jordan Williams, Taxpayers' Union · [email protected]

March 17, 2020 at 4:01 AM

BREAKING: COVID-19 - Government's package a mixed bag

NationBuilder Apologies for the second email. Correction to a figure below. Thanks for those who picked up on it. Dear Friend, The team have spent the afternoon working through the Government’s COVID-19 response package. A couple of the staff are in self-isolation, so we’ve w…

See More from Jordan Williams, Taxpayers' Union

  Jordan Williams, Taxpayers' Union · [email protected]

March 17, 2020 at 3:25 AM

BREAKING: COVID-19 - Government's package a mixed bag

NationBuilder Dear Friend, The team have spent the afternoon working through the Government’s COVID-19 response package. A couple of the staff are in self-isolation, so we’ve well and truly rehearsed using the virtual technology in preparing this note and our media commentary…

See More from Jordan Williams, Taxpayers' Union

  Jordan Williams, Taxpayers' Union · [email protected]

March 16, 2020 at 2:11 AM

Emergency Measures: Eight Economic Responses to COVID-19 in New Zealand

NationBuilder Dear Friend, This is the newsletter I never thought I would write, but in a paper just released the Taxpayers' Union we are calling on the Government to massively increase expenditure. This is to combat what may be the largest economic shock to New Zealand in my…

See More from Jordan Williams, Taxpayers' Union

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

March 11, 2020 at 3:18 AM

Taxpayer Update: Quit Group rort | Greens flying hypocrisy | Napier golden handshake

NationBuilder Dear Friend, Louis is on leave this week, but as you'll see the team in Wellington is still knocking out wins for the taxpayer! Taxpayers’ Union expose the Quit Group greed – hoarding millions of taxpayer funds 💸 On Monday we went public with information we obt…

See More from Jordan Williams

  Louis Houlbrooke, Campaigns Manager · [email protected]

March 2, 2020 at 7:30 PM

200 days

NationBuilder Dear Friend, There are now just 200 days until the general election Jacinda Ardern has called for 19 September. And things could not be closer.  According to the polls, just one or two percent is the difference between a change of government, and a Labour-Green …

See More from Louis Houlbrooke, Campaigns Manager

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

February 29, 2020 at 3:08 AM

Taxpayer Update: Fire service is burning your money | Benefits inflate | Council wants voting age lowered

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, EXPOSED: Record-high $6.2 million Fire Service rebranding This week we exposed the $6.2 million cost of rebranding New Zealand’s fire services. It's just another indictment on the merger of rural and urban services, which was meant to save taxpa…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

February 21, 2020 at 1:10 AM

Taxpayer Update: Adrian Orr begs | Handouts for big biz | Homeopathy

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Adrian Orr begs for more taxpayer money Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr wants a funding increase of up to 30 percent to cover exploding staff costs at his department. In one financial year, he has increased staff numbers by 19, and he wants mor…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

February 14, 2020 at 12:49 AM

Taxpayer Update: Ghost school | Golden handshake | Valentine's message

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Revealed: Chris Hipkins forces school to open with a roll of zero 🚸 Taxpayers' Union road trip: the school with no children This week we revealed that Tuturumuri School in the Wairarapa is currently open and employing four staff – despite having …

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

February 5, 2020 at 9:06 PM

Taxpayer Update: Embassy ignores virus | 'Aotearoa' name change | SkyPath blowout

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Today's the day, but no update on Ihumātao We wouldn't usually send an update on a public holiday, but the team held this back expecting an Ihumātao announcement which failed to materialise.   Last week, the Prime Minister indicated that an annou…

See More from Jordan Williams

  David Farrar · [email protected]

January 28, 2020 at 9:54 PM

RE: Election be held on September 19

NationBuilder , I know in our rush yesterday there was a mistake in my email subject.  I’m sorry.  But make no mistake, the team at the Taxpayers’ Union are ready and waiting to hold Jacinda Ardern to account for how her Government wastes your taxpayer money. We just need your support…

See More from David Farrar

  David Farrar, Taxpayers' Union · [email protected]

January 28, 2020 at 2:08 AM

Election be held on September 19

NationBuilder Dear Friend, Jacinda Ardern has just announced that the 2020 General Election will happen on 19 September. In effect, that means the campaign starts right now. All signs suggest we are looking at the most competitive election for a first-term Government in a generation. …

See More from David Farrar, Taxpayers' Union

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

January 23, 2020 at 9:46 PM

Taxpayer Update: Ardern refuses scrutiny | Taxpayer funded astrology | Beehive art

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, Ardern slams the door on scrutiny At the Labour Party's annual retreat yesterday, Jacinda Ardern announced to waiting media that her Party would uphold “fiscal transparency” during this year’s election. She then let slip that she has scrapped her …

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Louis Houlbrooke · [email protected]

January 15, 2020 at 9:36 PM

Taxpayer Update: Climate propaganda | Catering | Motel windfall

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, I hope you've enjoyed a good summer break. Government waste doesn't rest, so we've been busy. First things first... This week we've been working through the Government's new climate change syllabus. We've found that, rather than focusing on the sc…

See More from Louis Houlbrooke

  Jordan Williams · [email protected]

December 20, 2019 at 1:06 AM

The Tax on Christmas 🎄💰

NationBuilder Dear Supporter, For most of us, Christmas is about giving. For the Tax Man, it’s all about taking. Islay wraps up the year with a special episode of Taxpayer TV, revealing the incredible reach of the “Tax on Christmas”. --> Click here to watch. <-- I encour…

See More from Jordan Williams