Peter Williams Hosts Taxpayer Talk: David Baker on Exposing Inefficiencies in our Building Sector
This week Peter Williams is joined by social media sensation, David Baker, from Rapid QS. David is a quantity surveyor by trade, specialising in pricing residential buildings—and has spent the last year blowing the whistle on why so many public housing and infrastructure projects cost so much.But price is just the start—David also raising growing concern with agencies being unable to explain why the costs are so high, and has stated a wide-ranging social media campaign to expose these costs and inefficiencies within the industry.Support the show
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Peter Williams Hosts Taxpayer Talk: Hon Ruth Richardson on Budget 2025
This week on Taxpayer Talk, Peter sat down with Ruth Richardson, Minister of Finance during the National-Bolger Government, and catalyst of major economic reforms during the 90s.One of New Zealand's most respected Ministers of Finance, Ruth remains a deep thinker on the country’s dangerous fiscal position and how we can extract ourselves from it.With this year’s Budget only a few weeks away, she sets a path back to fiscal sustainability and tackles universal superannuation, the health system and the corporate tax rate.You can listen to the episode on our website, or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and other good podcast apps. Support the show
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Peter Williams Hosts Taxpayer Talk: Levi Gibbs on New Zealand’s climate costs and the pathway back to surplus
The Taxpayer’s Union popular podcast Taxpayer Talk returns with host Peter Williams and the Taxpayer’s Union Climate and Fiscal Policy analyst Levi Gibbs talking about New Zealand’s commitments (or lack of them) under the Paris Accord and how the Government can close the forecast 17 billion dollar budget deficit.Hear Levi explain why the Treasury forecast of New Zealand’s $20 billion plus commitment to buy carbon credits may not come to pass. Then he suggests ways to better manage the New Zealand Government’s asset schedule to reduce the huge budget black hole. But are the suggestions politically possible? Support the show
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Taxpayer Talk: Eric Crampton on the Government’s Supermarket Shakeups
This week on Taxpayer Talk Jordan sat down with the NZ Initiative's Chief Economist, Dr Eric Crampton on Nicola Willis' announcement on Sunday about possible splitting up of the super market industry.In the podcast, we unpack what's on the table, the risks, and what Dr Crampton argues is the real reason New Zealand lacks competition at the checkout. Support the show
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'Taxpayer Talk' | Nick Smith joins Jordan Williams to talk local government
On this week's episode of Taxpayer Talk, Jordan sat down to talk with current Nelson Mayor and former National Party Minister, Nick Smith.First elected as a Member of Parliament in 1990, Nick Smith would remain an MP for over three decades. Nick would serve across a number of portfolios, including as Minister of Education, Local Government, and Housing. He was elected as Nelson's Mayor in 2022, and now chairs LGNZ's Electoral Reform Group.With Wellington and Hastings councils in the news over the last few weeks, and the local elections looming next year, Nick joins us to talk local government.Support the show
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