MEDIA RELEASE

5-Year Passports Continue to Clip Kiwis' Wings

21 JANUARY 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Taxpayers’ Union is renewing calls for a return to 10-year passports in 2015 after Minister of Internal Affairs Peter Dunne’s failure to address New Zealand’s expensive passport regime that sees New Zealanders pay more but get less.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:

“In August 2014 Mr Dunne announced a review 'with a view of returning to 10-year passports.' The review was supposed to be released before Christmas and it looks like the Government is now dragging the chain.”

Last year the Taxpayers’ Union released a report which showed that Kiwi travellers fork out for one of the most expensive passports in the world. It also shows that since New Zealand introduced 5-year passports in 2005 most of the world has moved to a 10-year regime.

“With Labour backing our 10-year proposal, we’re calling on Minister Dunne to introduce a common sense Parliamentary bill that would cut the passport tax and give Kiwis back a fairer regime."

The Taxpayers’ Union report Sky High: Briefing Paper on Passport Affordability isavailable here.

ENDS

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