TAXPAYER HERO: Hon Dr Megan Woods
19 APRIL 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The eradication of Callaghan Innovation’s controversial Growth Grants in favour of a rules-based R&D tax incentive is a major victory for taxpayers, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says, “For years we have been campaigning against these handouts to businesses hand-picked by Callaghan Innovation. Governments shouldn’t be in the business of picking winners – it rewards businesses for political connections rather than productivity, and it’s unfair on the winners’ competitors.”

“Despite countless examples of businesses receiving grants and then going bust (or being bought out from overseas), the National Government refused to accept criticism of Callaghan grants. On this issue, the Honorable Doctor Megan Woods has shown far better business sense than her National Party counterparts.”

“With the primary function of Callaghan Innovation being phased out, we believe the entire organisation (which employs 386 staff with an average salary of $112,000) can be downsized, saving taxpayers up to $86 million a year in administration costs.”

“An across-the-board tax incentive is a far tidier and less risky solution than gambling taxpayer money on a handful of fat grants to select businesses. Nevertheless, an even better solution would be to simply reduce the corporate tax rate. That would avoid any boundary issues and risks of gaming of the new R&D credit. We will be submitting to MBIE on these issues in coming weeks.”
ENDS

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