Hi Friend,

We've been blown away by the response to this morning’s billboard campaign.

Since this morning, we’ve already raised $6,600 of the $9,200 needed to get these billboards up right by Parliament and the Public Service Commission.

With our 5 pm deadline approaching, we’re now within touching distance. But unless we raise the money we can’t lock in the billboards at these cheap rates.

Will you chip in now to get us across the line?

Your support will put the pressure right where Sir Brian Roche can’t ignore it.

Thank you for your support,

Jordan @ Taxpayers' Union 
Sent from my iPhone

*** Forwarded message ***

Friend –

WOW!

More than 7,000 Kiwis have now signed the petition demanding consequences after MBIE’s Chief Executive was found to have been aware of, and party to, deliberately misleading Parliament.

Never before have we seen an accountability issue take off this quickly.

And now we have a chance to take the message straight to Wellington.

Tory has secured last-minute billboard space right by Parliament and the Public Service Commission — but we need to raise $9,200 by 5 pm today to lock it in.

Why won’t Sir Brian answer basic questions? 🤔

Last week, we wrote to Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche after sources inside MBIE claimed Nic Blakeley only “offered” to resign after receiving an indication it would be declined!

Friend, if that is true, the so-called resignation offer was not accountability at all. It was political theatre — a ruse to make it look like a sanction, when really it was a stitch-up.

Sir Brian denies there was any prearranged deal. But he still has not answered the basic questions we asked: when was the resignation offer made, how long did it take to reject it, and who was consulted before deciding Blakeley should keep his job?

On Friday, Sir Brian promised answers by close of business Monday. Now he says we may have to wait four weeks.

That is not transparency. That is kicking the can down the road and hoping the story goes away.

Friend, something does not add up. Sir Brian’s job is literally to promote the Public Service's "values" of accountability, honesty, and transparency. These questions would take seconds to answer — so why the delay?

Nic Blakeley and Sir Brian appear to be hoping this issue will simply go away.

To ensure lying to Parliament has consequences, we can't let that happen.

Friend, if the Taxpayers’ Union doesn’t exist to fight for honesty and accountability in the public service, what the heck do we exist for?!

Will you chip in to keep up the pressure and hold Sir Brian to account?

Your donation today will help put this scandal in front of MPs, officials, journalists, and the very public sector bosses hoping it disappears.

If we can raise the $9,200 required, we can get these up over the weekend!

Friend, I know everyone is focused on the election, but this is an issue we really think is essential to take on.

Will you chip in so we can keep up the heat and ensure lying to Parliament is not deemed ‘acceptable’ behaviour in the public service?

Only with your support can we lock in the billboards and ensure Sir Brian does the right thing and shows the Parliamentary liar the door.

> Help fund the billboards < 

Thank you for your support,

Jordan Williams Executive Director New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union

P.S. We have only until 5 pm today to raise the $9,200 needed to secure the billboards for the weekend. More than 7,000 New Zealanders have signed the petition. Now we need to take their message straight to Wellington.

From: Jordan Williams <[email protected]>
Date: Tuesday, 1 September 2026 at 10:40 AM
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: If you outright lied to your boss, would you keep your job?

Hi Friend,

If you believe that public sector bosses shouldn't lie, then the events of the last week will make your blood boil.

Back in March, MBIE Chief Executive Nic Blakeley appeared before MPs to answer questions about a failed $33 million Immigration New Zealand technology project that delivered nothing after seven years.

MPs wanted to know how such an expensive failure happened, and what Ministers had been told as the project went off the rails.

Last week, Parliament’s Privileges Committee found that MBIE deliberately misled Parliament, and that Mr Blakeley was aware of and a party to that conduct.

In short, they lied.

They lied in unison.

And Nic Blakeley was a part of it.

That is an extraordinarily serious finding for the Chief Executive of New Zealand’s largest government department.

Friend, you've probably heard in the media that Mr Blakeley "offered" his resignation.

But, incredibly, Nic Blakeley remains in his job - being paid a salary of more than $600,000.

That's because Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche refused to accept Blakeley's offer to resign!

Sir Brian’s justification appears to be that Blakeley was new to the job. 😳

But Blakeley is not some new grad.

Blakeley is a career public servant. According to MBIE's website, he's served in Deputy Chief Executive roles since 2013.

For Sir Brian to portray Nic Blakeley as some bumbling idiot who didn't understand that he shouldn't deliberately mislead Parliament is, frankly, insulting.

Think about the precedent it sets. Nic Blakeley lied. If not this, what exactly does a senior bureaucrat need to do to be held to account?

By keeping Blakeley in his role, every government bureaucrat is taught that the worst that will happen if you lie to Ministers and a Parliament Select Committee is a slap on the wrist.

Sir Brian himself has said that “integrity is not a one-off task” and that the conduct of public servants is fundamental to public trust and confidence in government institutions.

So why does that standard apparently stop at Nic Blakeley’s door?

Why are Sir Brian Roche's actions not matching his words?

Friend, will you support our call for accountability in the public service?

Sign our petition demanding Nic Blakeley be shown the door.

If the boss of MBIE can deliberately mislead Parliament, offer to resign, but still keep his job, what does it take to lose it?

✍️ > SIGN THE PETITION < ✍️

Thank you for standing with us,

Jordan Williams Executive Director New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union

P.S. By letting Blakeley stay, the Public Service Commissioner undermines trust in the whole public service. It tells every civil servant they can lie to Ministers and Parliament but keep their job. Add your name to the petition here.