Taxpayers' Union Back Legal Challenge
Taxpayers' Union Back Legal Challenge
The Taxpayers’ Union is backing the Wellington Chamber of Commerce in its effort to seek formal legal advice on the Council’s decision to expand the ‘living wage’ to council controlled organisations and contractors. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:
“The Local Government Act requires the Council to ensure 'efficient and effective use of its resource’. The living wage policy is a deliberate sabotage of efficiency by choosing to pay more for something than what it’s worth."
“No wonder this decision was made in secret. Councillors that really care about poverty and want the Council to be providing the best service at the least cost will be hanging their heads in shame."
“Our preliminary legal advise is the same as that of the Chamber of Commerce. The Council can’t choose to pay more for something on the vain hope that it reduces poverty.”
“Robbing the fixed income pensioner through higher rates to pay the dustman more isn’t fixing poverty. It’s a dishonest money-go-round which is likely to be stuck down by the courts should the Chamber of Commerce launch a judicial review."
ENDS