The Taxpayers’ Union’s Board has formally adopted a new mission to guide the work of New Zealand’s most popularly supported political centre-right pressure group. Lower Taxes, Less Waste, More Transparency, which the Union adopted in 2018, is being replaced with Lower Taxes, Less Waste, More Accountability.

Taxpayers’ Union Board Chairman, Laurence Kubiak, said

“The Taxpayers’ Union, like all pressure groups, relies on influencing public policy through the political process by changing the hearts and minds of New Zealanders.

“But whether it’s Three Waters, the recent health reforms, or new proposals to impose unelected decision makers on all of New Zealand’s local councils, the current centralising Government is trying to water down democratic accountability.

“For us, it is simple: Local and central government must be accountable to taxpayers and ratepayers. If we don’t like decisions taken, we must be able to remove those decision makers democratically at the ballot box.

“Transparency is no longer enough: We need accountability too.”

Facts about the Taxpayers’ Union:

• Nearly 200,000 – or one in eighteen adult New Zealanders – are subscribed supporters of the Taxpayers’ Union. This number varies, as the Union regularly removes those who do not open the Union’s emailed updates or otherwise engage with its campaigns.
• More than 80% of the Taxpayers’ Union’s income is from small dollar donations from the more than 21,000 generous Kiwis who make the Union’s work possible.
• Industry dues account for just 2.1% of the Union’s income.
• Unlike most political parties, the Taxpayers’ Union files full accounts with the companies office, available for anyone to review online.
• More information about the Union, its people powered mission and funding, is available at www.taxpayers.org.nz/our_mission

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is an independent and membership-driven activist group, dedicated to being the voice for Kiwi taxpayers in the corridors of power. Its mission, lower taxes, less waste, more transparency, is supported by 200,000 subscribed members and supporters.

The Taxpayers' Union operates a 24-hour media line for comment on taxpayer issues. Representatives are available on (04) 282 0302.

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