To view this newsletter online, click here <[link removed]>. To share it on Facebook, click here <[link removed]>.
Dear Supporter,
Refunding Aucklanders for their fuel tax ⛽️💸
Last week we headed to a petrol station in Takapuna with a mission: expose high fuel taxes by refunding motorists the tax on their bill. In Auckland, tax now accounts for 52% of the price at the pump.
To prevent a stampede, we announced the location publicly just an hour beforehand of the half hour event.
Word got around and a queue quickly formed down the street, with Newshub, 1News, and even Radio NZ turning up to see what the fuss was about.
<[link removed]>Click here to see Newshub's coverage. <[link removed]>
Click here to see 1News's coverage. <[link removed]>
The Taxpayers' Union wouldn't usually give handouts, but in this case it was a small price to pay to get fuel taxes into the six o'clock news.
Half what you pay at the pump is tax 💸
As I pointed out to Chris Lynch on Magic Talk this morning, looming war in Ukraine is likely to lead to disruption and sanctions that will drive fuel prices even higher.
Jacinda Ardern might not be able to control Vladimir Putin, but she can shield taxpayers from the cost of conflict by pulling back the petrol tax lever.
>> Sign the petition to cut fuel taxes << <[link removed]>
The petition now has more than 11,000 signatures.
Please don't do this <[link removed]>🙈
Someone bought this sticker from the Taxpayers' Union store <[link removed]> and put it on a petrol pump:
Putting stickers on petrol pumps is naughty behaviour that we cannot possibly endorse.
If Taxpayers' Union supporters started pasting hundreds of these stickers on fuel pumps up and down the country we would be so upset that we would ask you to send us photos so we can expose this bad behaviour on social media.
Click here to order your sticker. <[link removed]>
Starting to taste victory? Three Waters legislation delayed
Late last year it was widely reported that the Government had delayed its Three Waters legislation until at least March, after facing overwhelming public opposition.
A new update <[link removed]> from the Department of Internal Affairs confirms that the delay is even longer: the Government will now introduce the legislation "mid-year".
This is fantastic news for the campaign to Stop Three Waters <[link removed]>. Firstly, it shows just how spooked the Government is by our efforts. They're on the back foot and are working desperately to massage the reforms into something more palatable to New Zealanders.
Secondly, the delay means that the legislation is likely to face public consultation in the same period as local body elections. We'll be working with council candidates to expose the nasty details of Nanaia Mahuta's asset grab in town halls and on election billboards across the country.
We can win this!
We know another why the Government has had to delay Three Waters. It relates to a court challenge that was filed last year but that we'll be announcing tomorrow... Keep an eye on your email.
🎤 Our members grill Christopher Luxon
On Thursday, we hosted an event for Taxpayers' Union supporters to meet National Party Leader Christopher Luxon, questioning him on any topic, free from the prying eyes of the media.
The BBQ was exclusive to Auckland-based members <[link removed]> and financial supporters <[link removed]> of the Taxpayers' Union. With COVID rules limited attendance to 100, but in future we hope to host much larger face-to-face events. If you're not already a member, join the Taxpayers' Union <[link removed]> to get onto the invite list.
(Thank you to everyone who came along and gave such positive and helpful feedback to me, Jordan, Sara, Levi, Annabel, and the team. It was great to meet so many of you and put faces to names!)
You know things have got bad for the Government when...
It's not often that we're on the same page as the Public Service Association – the main public sector union which tends to campaign for the Labour Party.
Tax bracket creep has now got so bad that even this left-wing union is now running our talking points: that minimum wage workers are now at risk of falling into the 30 percent income tax bracket.
There is a growing consensus that it's time to address bracket creep, but Grant Robertson says he has no plans <[link removed]> to change the brackets. The obvious reason is tax creep has benefited him by stealthily increasing his income tax take, allowing him to make massive spending commitments of dubious quality. We need to keep the pressure on.
Are taxpayers set to bailout Ponzi schemes?
The Reserve Bank is currently putting together legislation that would see deposits with banks insured by taxpayers.
However, the scheme would extend to high-risk finance companies. Where similar schemes have been put in place overseas, they have resulted in taxpayers being forced to bail out dodgy failed investments and even collapsed Ponzi schemes.
Our Research Fellow Jim Rose (a long-time economist) has produced a submission on the proposed Deposit Takers Act. You can find the executive summary and full document here. <[link removed]>
Taxpayer Talk: What does the new TOP Leader stand for?
The Opportunities Party (or simply "TOP") has a new Leader – Raf Manji. I sat down with Raf for a long-form podcast interview to ask why he's so keen for a universal basic income, how he thinks a land tax will pay for it, and whether TOP is a "left-wing" or "right-wing" party.
Click here to listen <[link removed]>, or find all of our Taxpayer Talk episodes on Apple Podcasts <[link removed]>, Spotify <[link removed]>, Google Podcasts <[link removed]>, or iHeart Radio <[link removed]>.
Thanks for your support, and all the best,
Louis Houlbrooke
Campaigns Manager
New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
<[link removed]>
Media coverage:
NBR Once teddy bears, now protests: Cracks of division <[link removed]>
NBR Can’t buy me love <[link removed]>
Stuff Decision made on TVNZ, RNZ merger by the Cabinet, sources suggest <[link removed]>
NZ Herald National's Christopher Luxon says NZ 'society divided', Jacinda Ardern 'missing in action' <[link removed]>
StuffParliament protest: The podium of truth has shifted and may never return <[link removed]>
NBRWellington protests, vaccine mandates, and MIQ late bills <[link removed]>
RNZ The Week in Politics: The protesters and the politicians <[link removed]>
NZ HeraldOne last chance left to deliver <[link removed]>
NewshubNew Zealand Taxpayers' Union gives about 50 Aucklanders their petrol tax back in pointed exercise directed at Government <[link removed]>
RNZ Lobby group pays drivers' fuel tax at North Shore petrol station <[link removed]>
TVNZTaxpayers' Union stunt sees motorists handed back petrol bill tax <[link removed]>
Kiwiblog Taxpayers’ Union staff are literally handing out free cash in Takapuna <[link removed]>
Kiwiblog Taxpayers’ Union Curia February 2022 poll <[link removed]>
Magic TalkTaxpayers' Union Curia Poll <[link removed]>
NZ Herald'Pouring petrol on inflation fire': Bay of Plenty business leaders opposed to minimum wage hike <[link removed]>
NZ HeraldNational closes gap, as minor parties lose ground <[link removed]>
The Spinoff Parliament protest continues as omicron numbers top 2,500 <[link removed]>
Newstalk ZB Taxpayers' Union Curia Poll <[link removed]>
Newstalk ZB Heather du Plessis-Allan: More of us think we're headed in the wrong direction <[link removed]>
The Daily Blog New Poll: Support for Luxon hardens – Left plus vs Right plus plus plus in 2023 showdown <[link removed]>
RNZ Labour holds strong in latest political poll, while National creeps up and minor parties suffer <[link removed]>
The CountryThe Country Full Show: Wednesday, February 16, 2022 <[link removed]>
<[link removed]>StuffNew poll: National surge up closer to Labour; Greens and ACT down <[link removed]>
NZ HeraldTPU/Curia political poll: National closes gap to Labour, with minor parties losing ground <[link removed]>
-=-=-
New Zealand Taxpayers' Union Inc. - 117 Lambton Quay, Level 4, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
This email was sent to
[email protected]. To stop receiving emails: [link removed]
-=-=-
Created with NationBuilder - [link removed]
