Peter Williams Hosts 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
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30:35
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30:35
Taxpayer Talk: Roger Partridge on Unscrambling the Ministerial Maze
This week on Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams is joined by Roger Partridge from the New Zealand Initiative to unpack his new report: Unscrambling Government: Less Confusion, More Efficiency.Right now, New Zealand has 81 ministerial portfolios, 28 ministers, and 43 departments. That’s three times as many portfolios and nearly twice as many departments as comparable countries. No wonder things feel messy.Roger argues this sprawling Cabinet structure makes it harder to know who’s accountable, pushes up costs, and slows down solutions to big challenges like housing, welfare, and climate change. In short: too many cooks, not enough results.Support the show
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29:32
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29:32
Taxpayer Talk: Nick Stewart on Rates Driving Inflation
This week on Taxpayer Talk, Peter Williams sits down with financial advisor and Stewart Group founder Nick Stewart to tackle a question too many councils would rather avoid: are skyrocketing rates making inflation worse?Nick explains how council spending flows through to households and businesses, pushing up the cost of living just as families are already struggling. Rates might look like a local issue, but the ripple effects are felt nationwide.If you’ve ever wondered why your grocery bill feels higher every time the council votes through another rates hike, this episode is a must-listen.Support the show
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32:44
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32:44
Taxpayer Talk: John O'Connell on Rates Caps, Death Tax and the MPs' Expenses Scandal
This week on Taxpayer Talk, James sits down with John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the UK TaxPayers' Alliance. John and James dig into some big issues, to see what New Zealand can learn from the UK's (many) mistakes.Rates caps, death tax, and John's role in exposing the infamous MPs' expenses scandal, which forced every British MP to open their expense reports to public scrutiny. Six MPs were jailed, and hundreds more were caught out.Support the show
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47:18
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47:18
Peter Williams Hosts Taxpayer Talk: Nick Leggett on Infrastructure and Local Government
Building anything in New Zealand has no shortage of challenges. Whether it be soaring costs, reels of red tape, or problems with supplying labour, our choked infrastructure pipeline deeply affects this country's economy and quality of life. CEO for Infrastructure New Zealand, Nick Leggett, joins Peter Williams for a deep dive into how can overcome these challenges so we can build faster, more efficiently, and more affordably.Support the show
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