MEDIA RELEASE

Production Costs of British And Irish Passports Half Ours

TUESDAY, 9 JUNE 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Taxpayers’ Union is questioning why it costs the New Zealand Government more than twice the amount to produce an adult passport as it does in Britain and Ireland.

Yesterday Radio NZ revealed that taxpayers will need to subsidise Internal Affairs by more than $200 million by 2021 in order to keep the cost of the new 10-year passports to under $200. Overnight research by the Taxpayers’ Union has revealed that the expected production cost of $404 is more than two times the cost the British and Irish governments are achieving.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:

"The Government is relying on its own inefficiency to justify the inflated costs of New Zealand passports."

"In Ireland and the United Kingdom the price of a passport reflects the full cost of producing it, yet the fees are less than half the amount officials say our ten-year passports will cost.”

“Despite a similar volume, the Irish are doing for $126 what New Zealand officials say they need $404. There is clearly room for efficiencies."

Responding to the Department of Internal Affairs Deputy Chief Executive Maria Robertson’s comments that the total costs will be the same despite the lower number of passports under a 10-year regime, Mr Williams says:

"Ireland is comparable to New Zealand in terms of population but produces passports at less than half the cost. It suggests that Internal Affairs are basing their forecast cost of production on the costs it has now, rather than resources that are actually needed."

"The Minister should be forcing efficiencies, not imposing passport fees and a taxpayer subsidy which amounts to a Wellington-style make-work scheme."

“Around the world passports are getting cheaper, but here in New Zealand officials are trying to justify a doubling of the cost. It's not good enough.”

New Zealand passports:
Fee for adult passport: increasing from $135 to $180
Taxpayer subsidy: Expected to be $221 million by 2021 to reflect $404 cost of production
Source: Cabinet papers released to Radio NZ

Irish passports:
Fee for adult 10-year passport: €80 (126 NZD)
Taxpayer subsidy: Nil (fees reflect the costs)
Source: Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press Office response available on request)

British passports:
Fee for adult 10-year passport: £72.50 (156 NZD)
Taxpayer subsidy: Nil (fees reflect the costs)
Source: HM Passport Office annual report and accounts, 2013 to 2014 (refer to page 7)

ENDS

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