Campaign Victory: Nicola Willis to (finally) answer questions from the Taxpayers' Union

The Taxpayers' Union is delighted Nicola Willis is going to front up for a debate on the country's fiscal pathway. All National Party Finance Ministers since Muldoon have had to tackle structural deficits inherited from Labour. Nicola Willis' challenge is no different to what Ruth, then Sir Bill English, faced.

Taxpayers' Union spokesperson Tory Relf said:

"Ruth is more than happy to debate the Government's debt, levels of public spending, balancing the books, and growth."

"The Government promised to reduce public spending. It's now higher than when Grant Robertson left office."

"The Government promised to tackle Labour's 30 percent increase in bureaucrats. They've managed to reduce the size of the core public service by not even one percent."

"The Government promised to get the books back into surplus. Unless you count a newly invented OBEGALx measure, the Government's fiscal pathway never gets New Zealand back into surplus."

"The Government promised 'growth, growth, growth'. GDP per capita is lower than when Grant Robertson was in office."

"The Government promised to reduce borrowing. Borrowing is still near Grant Robertson-era levels."

"Ruth is ready to debate the sorry state of our fiscal position after the release of the HYEFU next week."

The Taxpayers' Union are already speaking to various media organisations about the logistics of hosting next week. Media outlets interested in carrying or covering the debate are encouraged to get in touch.