Taxpayer Talk

Taxpayer Talk: “You’re not special!” - Simon Watts on the local government reforms failing ratepayers

Jordan Williams sits down with Simon Watts, Minister of Local Government, for a frank conversation on the Government’s local government reforms. From scrapping Three Waters and introducing rates caps to co-governance in water entities, councillor access to information, unelected committee members, and council amalgamations, this episode puts the Minister under pressure on whether National has really delivered the accountability and local democracy it promised. Support the show

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Taxpayer Talk: Grover Norquist on No New Taxes and holding politicians to it

This week, Jordan is joined by Grover Norquist, founder of Americans for Tax Reform and the man behind the original Taxpayer Protection Pledge, to talk about how a simple promise not to raise taxes became one of the most powerful forces in American conservative politics. With both National and ACT campaigning on no new taxes, Grover explains how voters can turn a slogan into a commitment politicians are afraid to break. From George H.W. Bush’s “read my lips” lesson to fiscal drag, levies, tariffs, and the fight to keep governments away from new revenue, Grover looks at what New Zealand’s centre-right can learn from four decades of taxpayer campaigning in the United States. Support the show

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Taxpayer Talk: Jordan Williams and Oliver Hartwich on MMP Gaming and Overhang Chaos

Te Pāti Māori’s call for supporters to split their votes has put one of MMP’s strangest quirks back in the spotlight: overhang seats, strategic voting, and whether parties can game the system to change who forms the next government. Jordan Williams is joined by Oliver Hartwich from the New Zealand Initiative to unpack what it all means, why the strategy could backfire, and whether New Zealand’s electoral system is heading for a serious credibility problem. From Māori seats and tactical voting to German-style fixes and the case for scrapping MMP altogether, Oliver explains how the rules of the game could shape the election result. Support the show

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Taxpayer Talk: Paul Henry on ACT, Tax Cuts, and Taking an Axe to Wellington

In this episode of Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams is joined by broadcaster-turned-ACT candidate Paul Henry for a lively, wide-ranging conversation on the campaign, the state of the centre-right, and why he thinks this election is too important to sit out. From ACT’s push for smaller government and lower taxes to superannuation reform, Treaty politics, immigration, and the future of taxpayer-funded media, Henry makes the case for a sharper, braver government - and explains why he wants to be part of it. Support the show

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Taxpayer Talk: Simon Court on the RMA shakedown holding New Zealand hostage

In this episode of Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams is joined by ACT’s infrastructure and resource management spokesman Simon Court to take aim at the planning rules he says are stopping New Zealand from building the homes, roads, ports, quarries, power lines, and infrastructure we desperately need. From eye-watering consent costs and “cultural shakedowns” to lizard surveys, gold-plated planning rules, and councils blocking growth while infrastructure falls apart, Simon explains why the RMA replacement could be one of the biggest reforms of this parliamentary term — and why taxpayers, ratepayers, and anyone who wants New Zealand to actually build things should be paying attention. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Deputy PM David Seymour on woke regulators, KiwiSaver, and ACT’s election fight

In this episode of Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams is joined by ACT Leader and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour for a wide-ranging pre-election interview on coalition tensions, regulatory overreach, free speech, KiwiSaver, Treaty politics, and ACT’s record in Government. From “political neutrality” rules for regulators and the Ministry of Regulation’s war on red tape, to compulsory savings, bond markets, the Treaty Principles Bill, and whether ACT can grow its vote, Seymour makes the case that his party has delivered — and argues it is the only vote to both lock Labour out and unlock New Zealand’s potential. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Jordan Williams and economist Cam Bagrie on Budget 2026

Jordan is fresh out of the Budget 2026 lockup and joined by economist Cam Bagrie to unpack whether the Government’s numbers really stack up. They warn the Budget is heavy on promises, light on proof, and may rely too much on inflation, backloaded savings, and heroic assumptions to get back to surplus. From rising borrowing costs and “promise-enomics” to the demographic time bomb of superannuation and healthcare, this is a blunt post-Budget reality check on whether taxpayers are being served broccoli — or just another sugar hit with the bill pushed past the election. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Nick Clark and Jordan Williams on why council amalgamation could make town halls even worse

In this episode of Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams is joined by Nick Clark from the New Zealand Initiative and Jordan Williams (Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director) to break down the Government’s plan to slash New Zealand’s 78 local authorities down to as few as 15. They explain why bigger councils do not necessarily mean lower rates, better services, or fewer bureaucrats — and why amalgamation could actually make local government less accountable, less local, and even more expensive. From the Auckland Super City experiment to bloated town hall empires, unelected decision-makers, and the fight to bring councils back to core business, this is a must-listen for ratepayers wondering who really wins when Wellington decides bigger is better. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Ruth Richardson on New Zealand’s fiscal reckoning

In this episode of Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams is joined by former Finance Minister and Taxpayers’ Union Chair Ruth Richardson for a no-holds-barred warning about New Zealand’s worsening fiscal mess. From exploding debt and runaway interest costs to bloated bureaucracy, superannuation reform, and a Government that still hasn’t found its “brave pills”, Ruth lays out why the country may be sleepwalking towards a fiscal crisis — and what needs to change before taxpayers are left carrying the can. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Professor Elizabeth Rata on the decline of education in New Zealand

Why did New Zealand’s education system "turn to custard" in 1971? In this episode of Taxpayer Talk, host Peter Williams sits down with Professor Elizabeth Rata to explore how the nation moved from a world-class, knowledge-rich curriculum to one dominated by "social constructivism" and "learnification”. Elizabeth also lifts the lid on how the rejection of liberalism and nation-building has failed several generations of Kiwi children, and the challenge of turning around the "oil tanker" of modern education to restore academic excellence. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Oliver Hartwich on restoring democratic control of the Public Service

In this episode of Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams sits down with Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director of the New Zealand Initiative, to discuss why he believes the country’s public service is "fundamentally broken" and incompatible with implementing good policy. Oliver explains how the 1988 reforms inadvertently created a state where department heads are more beholden to the Public Service Commissioner than their own ministers, and how the bureaucracy can subvert political will. Drawing on the German model of ministerial accountability, Oliver argues for a system that prioritises deep subject matter expertise over generic management skills to ensure that voters finally get a government with the power to perform its job. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Marian Tupy on why the world Is better than you think

What if the world is actually getting better — and we just can't see it? In this episode, host Jordan Williams sits down with Marian Tupy, senior fellow at the Cato Institute and founder of HumanProgress.org, to challenge the doom and gloom dominating today's headlines. Drawing on his books Super Abundance and 10 Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know, Tupy makes a data-driven case that life expectancy, poverty, child mortality, and war are all trending in the right direction — and explains why our brains are wired to miss it. From the hidden costs of Net Zero and NIMBYism, to the real story behind American inequality, housing affordability for young New Zealanders, and what AI might mean for the future of work, this is a wide-ranging conversation about progress, freedom, and what it takes to build a better world. A must-listen for anyone who suspects the catastrophists might be missing something important. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: David Farrar on the methodology and influence of political polling

Our latest Taxpayers’ Union–Curia poll sent Wellington into a frenzy at the beginning of March. But in this week’s Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams sits down with Curia founder - and Taxpayers’ Union co-founder - David Farrar to separate the signal from the spin. Are polls actually driving political decisions, or just measuring them? And why do politicians pay attention, even when they ignore the results? David lifts the lid on how polling really works (spoiler: no, they’re not ringing every Kiwi every night), why the trend matters more than any single headline-grabbing poll, and which numbers actually tell you if a government is in trouble. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Roger Partridge on selling public assets to build better infrastructure

The New Zealand Initiative Chair Roger Partridge joins Taxpayer Talk with Peter Williams to discuss a new report arguing New Zealand could unlock more than $24 billion for essential infrastructure by recycling mature Crown-owned commercial assets. Roger explains how redirecting capital tied up in government-owned companies such as Air New Zealand, Kiwibank and the mixed ownership electricity generators could help fund hospitals, schools, roads and water systems — without raising taxes or increasing public debt. Drawing on the successful New South Wales model, he outlines how a ring-fenced National Infrastructure Fund could convert government commercial holdings into the infrastructure New Zealand urgently needs. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Federated Farmers’ Mark Hooper on the Flawed Replacements of the Resource Management Act

Federated Farmers National Board member Mark Hooper joins Taxpayer Talk with Peter Williams to critique the government’s "deeply flawed" replacement of the Resource Management Act with the Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill. Mark walks Peter through why the new framework fails to deliver a faster, cheaper, better system, arguing that a predicted 46% reduction in consents is insufficient and warning that farmers could face double the red tape through a combination of complex farm plans and discretionary consents. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: The Colourful Life of Cartoonist Garrick Tremain

In November 2025, Garrick Tremain joined Peter Williams to discuss his colourful life as one of New Zealand’s finest and most influential political cartoonists of the contemporary era Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: David Cohen, author of Jacinda: The Untold Story

Author David Cohen joins Jordan Williams for a no-holds-barred chat about his new book, Jacinda: The Untold Story. Billed as a refreshingly un-mushy take on Jacinda Ardern’s premiership, David drew on hundreds of interviews to cut through the PR gloss and media fawning. His verdict? Ardern was a talented brand manager, powered by what he calls a “missionary zeal” — but that communications-first style came at a cost, with big policies like KiwiBuild never properly stress-tested. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Jamie Beaton on how to fix New Zealand's failing education system

Entrepreneur and Crimson Education founder Jamie Beaton joins Taxpayer Talk to discuss his extensive academic career, including his 11 degrees, and to offer a strong policy critique advocating for replacing the NCEA high school qualification with a more rigorous, globally standardized system. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Rowan Pike on NZ's and Aussie's illicit tobacco boom

This week on Taxpayer Talk, Jordan is joined by international consultant Rowan Pike, a former Australian Federal Police officer and Customs and Border Force expert, to unpack the explosive rise of illicit tobacco in Australia. With around half of all cigarettes now sourced from the black market, Rowan reveals how sky-high excise taxes have fuelled organised crime, gang violence, and a thriving underground trade. Drawing on his frontline experience, he explains how well-intentioned policies can backfire — and what New Zealand can learn from Australia’s mistakes. If you care about harm reduction, smarter regulation, and keeping communities safe from criminal networks, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Support the show

Taxpayer Talk: Cameron Luxton on the Gene Technology Bill

This week on Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams is joined by ACT MP Cameron Luxton for a wide-ranging discussion on the Government’s new Gene Technology Bill and what it means for innovation and regulation in New Zealand. Cameron shares his perspective on the Bill’s Māori advisory committee and how ACT approached its position. Peter and Cameron also discuss the Bill he has drafted to improve transparency and accountability in local government by banning unelected voting members on council committees. Support the show