23 MARCH 2015

New 'Buy-Election' Policies Added to Northland Bribe-O-Meter

New Zealand First is the big mover in the Taxpayers’ Union Northland 'Bribe-O-Meter' following another week of policy announcements on the campaign trail. The total cost to taxpayers of the by-election promises currently sit at $63.5 million for National and $378.9 million for NZ First. The amounts are equivalent to a cost per New Zealand household of $35.67 for National’s promises and $212.87 for those of NZ First.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says, “In the lead up to the final campaign week, the largest new bribe was Mr Peters’ pledge to use taxpayer money to bailout the Kaipara District Council’s debt arising from the Mangawhai Heads wastewater project. That alone increased Mr Peters’ Bribe-O-Meter total by $80 million.”

On yesterday’s TVNZ Q&A debate, Mr Peters made reference to a policy to build a ‘fast’ train service to the North. An independent economic expert commissioned by theTaxpayers’ Union for the Bribe-O-Meter, estimates that a high-speed rail link to Northland would cost at least $6.5 billion - more than Northland’s total annual GDP.

“Taxpayers can breathe a sigh of relief that Winston Peters’ Chief of Staff has confirmed that the NZ First leader was not meaning high-speed rail,” says Mr Williams. “Mr Peters’ comments relating to ‘fast’ rail to Northland were a reference to line upgrades, already factored into the Bribe-O-Meter, and an express passenger service.”

“We are proud that the Bribe-O-Meter is forcing parties to be transparent about the cost of their promises, but with a week to go there is still a risk that politicians turn the by-election into a lolly scramble at taxpayers’ expense.”
The Bribe-O-Meter data is available at http://taxpayers.org.nz/bribe-o-meter.

ends

© Scoop Media