<[link removed]>Dear Friend,

What has New Zealand come to? Last week, the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency began a shameless political advertising campaign to push more Māori onto the Māori electoral roll.

They've used your money to fund a 30 minute advert with activist Tame Iti to back Te Pāti Māori's efforts to get Māori onto the Māori-only roll.



As many have pointed out, this wasn't a public education campaign – it was shameless electioneering with public funds.

But is it a surprise? The CEO of the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency is none other than John Tamihere: Te Pāti Māori's Party President!

Where is the accountability? 

Government Ministers are in a hopeless position on this issue. The Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency is totally independent from Ministerial oversight as it's a private charity.

Being a charity means that the Official Information Act (and the usual public sector ethical duties of political neutrality) do not apply.

It's also why Whānau Ora can tell media (and taxpayers!) to 'get lost' when questions are asked of them.

But while it might legally be a 'private charity', its funding is not!  99 percent of Whānau Ora's funding is from taxpayers!

According to its most recent financial return, this John Tamihere-led agency received $113 million from taxpayer-funded contracts.

It listed just $1 million in 'other revenue' (which was mostly interest).

So, despite being 99 percent taxpayer-funded, the public, and even Government Ministers, have almost no ability to enquire into its operations and finances.

That is what we need to change, Friend.

Your right to know 👨‍⚖️

Let's not beat around the bush. This sort of misspending by taxpayer-funded so-called 'charities' is rife. The Taxpayers' Union comes across it all the time – and there is very little we can do because it is outside the reach of freedom of information laws.

But we have a solution: extend the Official Information Act to not-for-profits where the non-profit is more than, say, 75 percent funded by taxpayers.We need your support to fund the necessary campaign to extend the transparency law. <[link removed]> <[link removed]>

Earlier today, we spoke to a Member of Parliament who has tentatively agreed to sponsor a Member's Bill. But it's conditional on us covering the legal fees (to have it properly drafted) as well as the necessary research and supporting material. The idea of the Bill is simple, but the actual execution is anything but.

I am hoping you'll back us on this one. <[link removed]>

Your support will mean we can seize the opportunity and say enough is enough with taxpayer funded 'charities' running amok with no transparency and accountability.

Most non-profits/charities are accountable to members and donors. But the issue with taxpayer-funded non-profits is that they are often reliant on government contracts, which are never tendered or competitive.

It goes back decades. One of the very first Taxpayers' Union stories when we launched in 2013 was the Te Kohanga Reo National Trust Board putting a Trelise Cooper dress, a wedding dress, a 21st present and even cash withdrawals on a Te Kohanga Reo credit card.

The then-Education Minister demanded answers – but was told (you guessed it!) that it was a private organisation and that it was none of her business.

The quid-pro-quo of non-profits being funded by taxpayers should be the same transparency as government agencies and quangos – accountable to the public under the Official Information Act.

If you agree, please make a donation to make it happen. <[link removed]>

This Members' Bill would be a game-changer. But we can’t instruct the lawyers to get to work without your support and the budget to do so.

> Yes, I'll support this effort to improve accountability < <[link removed]>

Thank you for standing up for taxpayers.


Jordan Williams
Executive Director
New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. 

P.s. Let's stop the complaining and change the law to actually fix the issue. If we want organisations like Whānau Ora to stop wasting money, we need to ensure the law is changed so that transparency and accountability are non-negotiable. Back the cause with a secure donation so we can get to work. <[link removed]>

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