Taxpayer Talk

Jordan Williams gets 30 minutes with the Climate Change Commission's Chair, Dr Roderick Carr at their offices.  He is joined by Matt Burguss, the Senior Economist at the New Zealand Initiative think tank to put to Dr Curr many of the criticisms of the report. Support the show

Jordan is joined by Ian Harrison, Principal at Tailrisk Economics for a discussion on the Climate Change Commission, the benefits of an ETS and why the commission is wrong about Electric Vehicles.  Read Ian's submission here: http://www.tailrisk.co.nz/documents/ClimateChangeCommission-13march.pdf Support the show

The Climate Change Commission plans to up-end our economy with a highly political, centrally-planned regulatory agenda. Jordan is joined by Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director at the New Zealand Initiative, to untangle this mess. Support the show

In preparation for 2021 the Taxpayers' Union is sitting down with new kids on the block, and getting to know the fresh faces of the 53rd Parliament of New Zealand. In this episode, Taxpayers' Union Analyst Neil Miller talks to National MP Simon Watts. Support the show

In preparation for 2021 the Taxpayers' Union is sitting down with new kids on the block, and getting to know the fresh faces of the 53rd Parliament of New Zealand. A second addition to David Seymour's merry band, Damien Smith became acquainted with the ACT party in a Belgium bar in Auckland, and things moved fast from there. With a background in finance and banking, a belief in small gov...

In preparation for 2021 the Taxpayers' Union is sitting down with new kids on the block, and getting to know the fresh faces of the 53rd Parliament of New Zealand. Dr. James McDowall is one of the nine new ACT MPs who will be joining David Seymour in Parliament for the next three years. An ACT supporter since 2005  (a year before he could vote) Dr. McDowall has interest in a number of the iss...

Tim Hazledine, Professor of Economics at the University of Auckland, sits down with Islay to discuss his ideas for a viable path to economic recovery – including a temporary reduction in GST. Support the show

In this episode, Islay Aitchison talks to ACT leader David Seymour about his party's proposed tax cuts, public debt and cutting red tape. Support the show

In this episode of Taxpayer Talk, Taxpayers' Union Research Officer Islay Aitchison interviews Tauranga City Councillor Kelvin Clout on dysfunctional Council culture and recall elections. They discuss the COVID-19 Government assistance Tauranga Council is hoping to receive for future infrastructure projects. Support the show

This week's Pre-election Fiscal Update revealed a dire projection of increasing Government debt. Islay is joined by economist Joe Ascroft to discuss the looming Debt Monster. Support the show

Immediately after Labour announced its policy for a new higher tax rate on income over $180,000, Louis sat down with Islay and Joe to record a podcast examining the politics and economics of the tax in more detail. Support the show

Despite our closed borders, Tourism NZ is spending $10 million on a new campaign meant to bring overseas travellers to New Zealand. The campaign is supposed to bolster New Zealand’s international brand of “kaitiaki, manaakitanga, and integrity”. In the latest episode of Taxpayer Talk, Louis questions Tourism NZ CEO Stephen England-Hall on whether this will deliver value for taxpayers. Support the...

In this episode of Taxpayer Talk, Taxpayers' Union Research Officer Islay Aitchison interviews economist Michael Reddell on monetary and fiscal policy. Michael Reddell's blog, Croaking Cassandra, can be found here .  Support the show

Auckland’s water crisis has been in the media over recent weeks, and the 2020 drought reminds us a lot of the water restrictions in 1994.  Auckland’s population is now 50% larger than 1994, has water infrastructure kept up?  Just how vulnerable are we to dry years?  Is the Waikato river the solution?  Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, and Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Founder Jordan Williams si...

Taxpayers’ Union’s Jordan Williams, and Neil Miller, sit down with political commentator and Stuff columnist Damian Grant discuss the runners and riders of the sudden National Party leadership race. Support the show

In our newest episode of Taxpayer Talk, Jordan sits down (in-person!) with Helensville MP Chris Penk who has written a book investigating the claim that the Government had "gone early and hard" in its fight against COVID-19. Flattening the Country is available at https://chrispenk.national.org.nz/flattening_the_country .  Support the show

We're giving taxpayers the opportunity to get to know their MPs beyond photo-ops and party-line speeches. In this episode, Islay Aitchison interviews Melissa Lee MP.  Support the show

By many measures, socialist ideas are more popular than ever, with academics and increasingly hip activists unashamedly promoting the collective ownership of wealth and centralised government-led decision making. Louis has a discussion with Dr Kristian Niemietz from the Institute of Economic Affairs, who has written a book named 'Socialism: The Failed Idea that Never Dies' . Support the...

The Taxpayers' Union sat down with Todd Muller for a podcast interview just a few days before he announced his leadership bid. He described himself as "broadly socially conservative, and from an economic perspective reasonably liberal", and discussed his upbringing, career, and the political challenges of bridging the urban-rural divide. Support the show

We're giving taxpayers the opportunity to get to know their MPs beyond photo-ops and party-line speeches. In this episode, Islay Aitchison interviews Simon O'Connor MP. Support the show

The Taxpayers' Union's Consulting Economist Joe Ascroft, and former Treasury (now Taxpayers' Union) Analyst Neil Miller, sits down with Jordan Williams to discuss Budget 2020, the economic and political risks, and what it says about the Government's election strategy. Support the show

On this episode of Taxpayer Talk, Jordan Williams interviews Tim Hazeldine and Eric Crampton. They discuss Auckland's CBD Rail Loop, incentives for infrastructure spending and Thursday's Budget. Prof Hazledine’s opinion pieces referred to are here: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/2020/05/11/1162413/tank-the-tunnel https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objec...

Should Parliament step in to enforce a nationwide rates freeze, what's happening in Botany and should our relationship with China change? Islay Aitchison interviews Jami-Lee Ross. Support the show

We're giving taxpayers the opportunity to get to know their MPs beyond photo-ops and party-line speeches. In this episode, Islay Aitchison interviews Paul Goldmith MP. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk is back. This week Jordan and Joe interview Act MP David Seymour on the worrying signs of the politicisation of the Reserve Bank, and Grant Robertson's suggestion of monetising the Government's debt.  Support the show