The Minister of Finance's spat with left-wing economist Craig Rennie for, apparently, making up a quote during a previous Budget lock-up should not affect the decision on whether to allow the Taxpayers' Union to attend (and report on) the Half-Year Fiscal and Economic Update to be released next week.

Speaking in response to the Minister of Finance's comments at the Post-Cab, Taxpayers' Union spokesman, Jordan Williams said:

"With one-in-14 voters receiving our Taxpayer Updates, more people receive news from the Taxpayers' Union about the Government fiscal situation than most of the 'media' organisations that attend Budget lock-ups."

"It appears the Taxpayers' Union is being singled out to try and 'balance' the decision to bar Craig Rennie from attending. But his bad behaviour is totally irrelevant in terms of whether our economist and staffers should be allowed to attend."

"Grant Robertson once tried this trick and attempted to bar the Taxpayers' Union from attending a Budget lock-up. Wiser heads eventually prevailed. Indeed, we can recall an Opposition Finance Spokesperson commenting that Robertson should ensure we can attend and report on these very matters."

NOTES:

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is an independent and membership-driven activist group, dedicated to being the voice for Kiwi taxpayers in the corridors of power. Its mission, lower taxes, less waste, more accountability, is supported by 200,000 subscribed members and supporters.

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