taxpayers union

The Taxpayers' Union have recently stated that Eleanor Catton should use her royalties to pay back her subsidies.

This was as a response to an interview Eleanor Catton gave to RNZ over the weekend, in which she labelled the Union 'sinister' while promoting her latest book.

Taxpayers Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says these comments from Catton came out of nowhere.

Jordan Williams says that Eleanor Catton's comments were still hypocritical, and that she should pay back her royalties to fund up and coming artists instead of complaining about New Zealand not funding the industry.

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The Taxpayers Union wants the Government to remove all additional leave entitlements for public servants.

It comes as fresh data has revealed Kiwis are shelling out more than $75 million per year on additional days of paid leave for Government workers, excluding the four entitled weeks off and public holidays.

The Union says the worst offenders are the Social Development Ministry and MBIE, who spent more than $14 million and $12 million dollars respectively.

Taxpayers Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says the money should be spent bolstering up health care workers instead.

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The Taxpayers' Union is crying foul on Kainga Ora's plans to hire more staff.

A leaked briefing obtained by Newstalk ZB reveals the housing agency wants to take on nearly 500 more full-time staff, in the coming year.

It's now gone back on that figure, saying the number will be 465, and that almost half are needed to fill existing vacancies.

Taxpayers Union Executive Director Jordan Williams told Kate Hawkesby the payroll has been growing fast.

He says it only had 1200 staff in 2017, but that jumped to 2200 last year, and it is now on track to reach 3000 by next year.

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Jordan Williams: Taxpayers' Union executive director on being banned from LGNZ Conference

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