Matua Kahurangi: Lefties at the trough - the left love burning your money

The latest figures from the Taxpayers’ Union show that over the last 21 months, MPs have racked up nearly $15 million in Parliamentary Service spending on travel, accommodation and transport - all on the taxpayer’s dime, with precious little transparency about what the money actually bought.

What leaps off the page, and should make every Kiwi gasp, is that the top five spenders are all from the left of the political spectrum, proving yet again that when it comes to splurging taxpayers’ cash, the lefties simply can’t help themselves.TR

Damien Grant: New Zealand deserves better than Nicola Willis’ plan

It is four sleeps to Christmas. A time of make believe where we embrace the wonder of Santa Claus to delight children and ourselves.

Make believe is a powerful element of the human condition. The willingness to embrace an illusion is a pre-requisite to enjoy a movie, magic show or a marriage.

Pee Kay: A Curates Egg?

On the 1st of December, Prime Minister Chris Luxon, and Local Government Minister Simon Watts, announced Cabinet’s decision on how they will cap council rates.

The rates cap will be a variable target band, starting with minimum increases of two percent and a maximum of four percent. All good, so far.

Pee Kay: Gene Technology Bill and Co-Governance

A recent Taxpayers’ Union (TPU) e-mail to members featured their position on the Gene Technology Bill.

The TPU say “The Gene Technology Bill is the Government’s attempt to “modernise” New Zealand’s laws around gene editing and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). It introduces what the Government describes as a “risk-based” regulatory framework that allows low-risk gene technologies to be exempt from cumbersome red tape, while still tightly controlling high-risk applications.”

Ele Ludemann: Dangers of DEI

Good news that DEI appointments in the public service are numbered:

The Taxpayers’ Union is today celebrating a significant policy victory following Public Service Minister Judith Collins’ announcement that she intends to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requirements from the Public Service Act. Appointments would be made on the basis of merit, not identity, bringing the focus back to competence and capability.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesman James Ross said:

Point of Order: Cultural consultants cash in $1.365m while Dunedin rates soar

• The Taxpayers’ Union reports –

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal through a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request that Dunedin City Council (DCC) has spent a staggering $1.365 million over just three years on consultation with Aukaha—an iwi-owned consultancy firm—with ratepayers now hit by an average rates hike of 17.5%.Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator Rhys Hurley said:

Peter Williams: Taxpayers’ Union Boss sued for Defamation

DISCLAIMER: I’m a financial supporter of the Taxpayers’ Union (TPU) and a former member of the Board.

The Taxpayers’ Union did the country a major service in January when it pointed out that $4 million of taxpayers’ money was spent on a nonsensical “science” project whereby “whale music” and traditional Māori prayer (karakia) was played to kauri trees to help cure the trees of the dieback disease.

The genesis of this crackpot theory is that in an earlier life whales and kauri trees were brothers and therefore music from the whale could sooth the sickness in the kauri tree and cure it.