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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38:54
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38:54
Peter Williams Hosts Taxpayer Talk: Mayor Andrew Tripe on the Lowest Average Rates Increases in the Country
Rates across the country have soared, many into the double-digits. But while most councils point fingers and find excuses, Mayor for Whanganui Andrew Tripe has kept his average rates increase as low 2.2 percent – the lowest in the country this year.Mayor Tripe joins Peter Williams for a discussion on how this was achieved, and the work behind getting his Council focused on the basics, while keeping up with important infrastructure and services, and paying down debt. Support the show
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34:30
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34:30
Peter Williams Hosts Taxpayer Talk: Sir Bill English on the Future of Superannuation and the Public Service
It’s seven years since Sir Bill English left politics but the former Prime Minister and long serving Finance Minister is still a keen follower of the political landscape and how the economic outlook for the country can be improved.In conversation with Peter Williams for the latest Taxpayer Talk podcast, Sir Bill maintains that the political battle over National Superannuation has been won and governments will have to pay a universal pension to every senior citizen for the foreseeable future. But as he did when in government, Sir Bill believes that the age of eligibility must be raised from 65. He also has some harsh words on the performance of public servants and notes that many government organisations should be much better managed.A politician for nearly 30 years, Sir Bill now has the luxury of watching government from the sidelines and much of what he sees really frustrates him.Support the show
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