Other than being led by Dirty Politics scum like Jordan Williams and David Farrar, The Taxpayers’ Union is an astro turf right wing attack vehicle designed to push the free market small Government ideology on behalf of NZs most vicious and rich right wingers.
The Taxpayers’ Union are the ideological shock troops of the neoliberal revolution and they are forever attacking State regulations in favour of the free market, so imagine our collective glee on the Left to see the great champions of free market capitalism crawling on their belly for a Government wage subsidy…
The Taxpayers’ Union, a group which highlights what it sees as wasteful Government spending and argues for lower taxes, has been granted more than $60,000 in taxpayer money as part of the COVID-19 wage subsidy.
The money will be used to support nine of the incorporated society’s employees, according to an entry on the Government’s public database of wage subsidy recipients.
“This decision was made on the basis of our ethical obligations to staff during the Government-mandated economic shutdown,” a post on the group’s website said.
“The decision to accept this subsidy was not as simple for us as for most organisations. Prior to COVID-19, we have stated on the record that we would never accept taxpayer funding. That commitment was, of course, made in a time few New Zealanders could possibly have anticipated COVID-19 and the ensuing economic situation.
“After brief deliberation, the Taxpayers’ Union board determined the welfare of our employees to be a more pressing immediate concern than ideological purity.”
…well, well, well. These ideological free market fascists who previously stated they would NEVER take taxpayer funding now have.
How hilarious that the second capitalism fails, those who exploit it most and rage against State intervention are the first in the queue for a handout.
They aren’t just intellectually vile with weaponised selfishness, they are fucking hypocrites as well.
NEVER let them forget this when they start attacking taxpayer funded programmes again.
Given those involved in this farce of an organisation and their direct involvement with Dirty Politics, from John Keys PM office no less, I always thought it was an alter ego lobbying division of the National Party anyway.
And surely National who is THE most financially bloated Party bar none should foot the bill for their own self created supporters group?
George Carlin put it so well: “We know what they want -more for themselves and less for everyone else.”
By the way, the environmental meltdown continues as a consequence of past overuse of fossil fuels, and at this stage the recent great decline in global economic activity isn’t showing up, e.g.
Daily CO2
Apr. 9, 2020: 417.85 ppm
Apr. 9, 2019: 412.53 ppm
Though I did read that Indians can see the Himalayas for the first time in 30 years.
Let’s hope we do not return to the kind of business as usual that right wing arseholes promote.
Oh, I shan’t be forgetting this, any time soon, Martyn. I have a long memory when it comes to this sort of thing.
Please do an in depth write up, Frank.
Yes as this pandemic hits the pockets of the rich maggots they will grab any handout they can and hide the event from public grze like John key did frequently since he made $40 million as he was an ‘agent selliing our public rail company back in the early 1990’s.
Will the so-called Taxpayers Union do what other businesses could do next year and claim a tax refund on the money they will be receiving from the NZ Government(aka the NZ taxpayers)? That is they will make a tax claim on the money given by the government and expect to make more money out of it at the end of the 2020 financial year?
Will the ‘refund’ go into the Taxpayers Union bank account or into some other bank account linked to say the NZ National Party?
There will be a number of not so credible organisations that will take advantage of this offer from the government and perhaps not pass it onto their workers but pocket it for themselves and then they will turn around and blame the government for failing NZ workers. Those companies will then cease to exist i.e go under.
More than 25 years ago whilst working for DSW an employer was deducting money from an employee in a private company. And instead of passing the money back to DSW he pocketed it all.
And so it could be likely in a greedy society that the money from the government will not be passed onto those who will be needing it by greedy employers. Lets hope it doesn’t happen but an instant amount of money into a bank account can bring out the Green-eyed Monster in some people. We have already seen it amongst former National MPs etc and so it could well happen again.
No They can’t make a tax claim as wages.
“Welfare of our workers (TU staff)” eh Jordan–well strangely enough, a major purpose of Govt Taxation is to provide for NZ Citizens welfare–basic infrastructure, health, education, hydro power, Police and border control, etc.etc.
Taxation was not dreamt up just to annoy libertarian toffs and Nashnull’s dirty tricksters. The taxpayers union is a bogus operation, and is obviously Astroturfing. They should be barred from using the word “Union” but that is probably difficult to trademark. Even applying for taxpayer assistance, let alone receiving it, should mark the end of this scabby, undermining, tory lobby group.
Cleangreen you are a gem. Your group has much information about our railway history. You must be part of the go-to people for anyone doing in-depth journalism on our rail. I like the bit about John Key. Was there also some other rich white guy involved? Some people are quite fey when it comes to scenting money for jam.
About the Taxbayers Unison (like it?) I wouldn’t have thought they were essential services. Government should have publicised their request and advised that it had been considered and the decision made that they would have wanted the money to be spent on something of assistance with the virus, and given it, on their behalf, to the Foodbanks, Salvation Army. Now that would be clever politicking with brain.
Hey um, Jordan, are you one of those uh,…bludgers?
The WINZ database of subsidy recipients is typical of a bureaucracy, no more than 5 results returned per keyword entered. It’s not as if they need to show the equivalent of a million full time employees getting paid for the 12 weeks, it’s just the businesses that are going tits up that we want to know about. And it’s funny how in 12 weeks about five times the normal social spend will take place and people like Williams won’t say a word in protest.
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“After brief deliberation, the Taxpayers’ Union board determined the welfare of our employees to be a more pressing immediate concern than ideological purity.”
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OH. MY. GOODNESS.
Well its all come out now who these chumps are and what they are all about, hasn’t it?
Not that they ever fooled anyone.
Perhaps they should change their name to the ‘Taxbludgers Union’ instead.
Why not apply this subsidy/gift to the National Party workers? Money for jam everyone?
Kia ora Martyn.
Could you please find out if there are actually 9 employees?
I am intrigued as to an organisation like tpu has “employees”: doing exactly what?
There is fraudulent behaviour very close to this action.
I wager somewhere in the future the tpu will “fess up” to demonstrate that what they have just done was done to “prove” how incompetent governments (especially labour dominated ones) are with tax payers money.
This utterly hypocritical action stinks.
Just think the tpu has a fan base belonging to the national party and d seymour.
I must remind my associates and managers not to do business with jp’s law firm.
If the heat gets too much they’ll just change their name.
They’ve done so before
I don’t have anything bad to say about the Tax Payers Union.
Thank god you’re the only person in this line-up of comments that hasn’t said anything bad. It’s been a great read up to you. I wonder which union you’re in.
Buy Bitcoin.
definitely not.
Interesting to see Jordan Williams is now a state dependent, as are his TU cohorts.
For some time I have been trying to fathom TU’s purpose for operating. That is other than being a beneficiary bashing cling on hanging off National’s backside! Is TU a business? Or is it an ambiguous political wing of National?
I would love to know what Comrade Williams put on his benefit application form describing his “business” and reasons for needing government assistance at this time!
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