Friend –

I know what it's like to have to deal with the inherited twin evils of high inflation and high debt.

Both condemn our nation’s economic and social prospects.

The next Government will be welcomed by a sea of red.

It is a scandal that unless things change, New Zealand will soon be spending more on servicing debt chalked up for today’s consumption than is spent on education for tomorrow’s investment.

Like the tough decisions I had to make as Minister of Finance in the early 90s, course correction is required, and fast.

But at least my Fiscal Responsibility Act (still in place today) means that Grant Robertson cannot hide the scale of the problem.

The moment of truth arrives on September 12 when the Pre-Election Fiscal Update is required to be published. This means that an incoming Minister of Finance is not going to be ambushed by a nasty fiscal shock as I was. But deficit and debt shock it will surely be.

So I wanted to bump Jordan's email up your inbox because we need to put the debt monster back in its box, stop wasteful spending, power up the productive sector, cease the self-harm of higher taxes and hold the politicians’ feet to the fire – its called accountability.

Right now, the public do not understand the seriousness of the situation New Zealand finds itself in. That's why I'm asking you to join me in making a donation to the Taxpayers' Union and this "debt clock" project.

A publication to the political insiders is not enough. We need your support to get the public to understand the scale of the problem. 

So my rallying call is to join the cause and donate to help stop the steal of our kids' and grandkids' future.

Click here to donate.

Thank you for your support.

Hon. Ruth Richardson
Board Member
New Zealand Taxpayers' Union

Sent from my BlackBerry

From: Jordan Williams <[email protected]>
Date: Monday, 7 August 2023 at 10:48 AM
To:   <[email protected]>
Subject: Confidential: What Grant Robertson doesn't want you to know

Dear Friend,

You’ve probably seen in the media the Parliamentary bruhaha over Grant Robertson’s “fiscal hole”.  A few weeks ago, Mr Robertson called the CEOs of the large government departments into his office for an emergency meeting.

Over the weekend, we managed to confirm from sources in Wellington that the Government books are starting to turn into a disaster.

Apparently, since the last fiscal update (released with May’s Budget) business tax revenues have collapsed. Government debt is sky rocketing.

We won’t know the precise extent of the challenges New Zealand faces until Treasury are required to open the books on 12 September.  That is when the “Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update” (PREFU) is to be published.

Put it this way: Back in May Grant Robertson was the guy happy to boast that he was only borrowing one billion dollars every fortnight.

One billion is one thousand million.  Every two weeks.  It is the equivalent to a $508 fortnightly credit card bill in addition to the higher costs of living.

And that was the before the collapse in tax revenue!

If Grant Robertson is panicking, things must be dire.

You can see already that Grant Roberson is preparing to paper over the cracks – at least until after the election.

On Thursday, financial website “interest.co.nz” reported that the Reserve Bank has received an extra $500 million to build up the foreign reserves it would use to prop up the New Zealand dollar in a crisis.

What does Grant Robertson know that is causing him to worry about a “crisis” tanking the NZ dollar?  We’ve not had a run on the New Zealand Dollar since the dying days of the Muldoon-era.

Things are urgent , but our media are asleep at the wheel

Friend I am emailing to ask for your support today so we can get the message out to New Zealanders before early voting starts in just eight weeks’ time.  Even on the “good” 2023 Budget-figures (from back in May) Grant Robertson is nursing total liabilities of $173,147 for every single New Zealand household.*

Confidential: How we can hold Grant Robertson to account

And here is how we want to get the message out: a massive, mobile, real time “Debt Clock” (ignore the numbers – below is a concept drawing).

We’re asking for your support so we can build a 7.5 meter long “Debt Clock” to follow Grant Robertson throughout the election campaign and hold to him to account for his reckless and wasteful spending.

We’ve seen this work overseas. We can hold politicians to account by gate crashing parking outside campaign headquarters and election spending announcements.

Friend, please do not share the concept drawings in this email. I’m only sending them to you to show what we’ll do if we can raise sufficient funds this week.

Imagine what the clock would look like parked outside Parliament…

The cost of the clock and electronics alone are around $34,000.  But thanks to a very generous supporter, a local trailer company has agreed to build it quickly (within a few weeks) and at a price even less than the materials cost. 

But we also need to buy (or hire) something with a huge towing capacity – so our student interns can drive it around the country safely to chase Grant Robertson’s spending announcements.

If this sounds like something you’re willing to help with – to hold Grant Robertson to account – we need you to chip in today.

Let’s be honest , even if there is a change of Government, it’s not going to be easy for the next Minister of Finance to “Stop the Clock”.  There are now tens of thousands of extra bureaucrats, a taxpayer funded media industry, and special interests who have become addicted to Grant Robertson’s wasteful spending.  They won’t give it up without a fight – and the Debt Clock will remain important until the Government (of whatever type) is back in surplus.

To make this happen, we are 100% reliant on your support today.

So , will you make an investment in the Taxpayers’ Union now, so our kids aren’t continued to be lumped with the debt to pay tomorrow?

>> Yes, I’ll help fund the debt clock and pre-election tour <<

You can make a secure donation here. The absolute minimum to get this off the ground is $25,000 (plus the cost of a diesel ute or large SUV to pull it).

Together, we can force Wellington to "Stop the Clock"!

We are counting on your support.

Jordan Williams Executive Director New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.

ps. every donation made on this page will be used to build, sign write, and tow the debt clock before the election. Any excess funds will be used for advertising and stunts to hold Grant Robertson to account for the debt he is handing our kids (and grandkids) to pay back. Click here to make it happen!

*Source: Total Crown Balance Sheet, The Treasury Budget Economic and Fiscal Update, 18 May 2023 (page 43) – 340.2 billion dollars. Divided by 1.9648 million households.