Responding to reports that Ministers are already working on new savings initiatives for Budget 2025, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said:

“New savings initiatives and the axing of programmes that do not deliver value to the taxpayer should be axed as soon as they are identified. Waiting until next year’s budget simply forces the taxpayer to stump up for billions of dollars in wasteful spending on projects that are already destined to be wound up.

“We don’t want bureaucrats pushing paper for the next 10 months just to find out all their work is getting lumped on the scrap heap at next year’s budget. We have given Nicola Willis a list of savings initiatives that could be actioned right now, so there’s no reason to wait before getting on with the job.

“Right now, wasteful spending is keeping inflation much higher than it needs to be. Kicking the can on cutting wasteful spending to next year will only keep inflation and interest rates higher for longer, robbing Kiwis and making life tougher.”

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