Taxpayers’ Union bribe-o-meter now includes minor parties

The Taxpayers Union announced:

We've added the Green, ACT, United Future and Conservative Parties to the ‘Bribe-O-Meter' election costing page launched last month.  Excluding ACT and New Zealand First, the total election ‘bribes' – that is new spending not already in the budget covering the next parliamentary term, equals $12.7 billion, or $7,486 per household.

We're delighted that the Bribe-O-Meter is enabling Kiwis to judge for themselves the various bribes this election. With the addition of the minor parties voters can assess which political parties are offering taxpayers value for money.

Currently National's election promises add up to $329 per household. The equivalent figure for Labour is $2,776, the $2,893, United Future $1,253, and the $236. ACT is in the negative, committing to cut spending by $6,876 per household.

A lack of detail in New Zealand First's documents has made it impossible for the Union's independent expert, Dr Michael Dunn, to calculate credible figures for the Party's inclusion in the Bribe-O-Meter.  Public and private requests to New Zealand First have, to date, not resulted in amelioration. New Zealand First apparently just doesn't have the information. It appears that Mr Peters makes promises to all and sundry, but no one at his office is adding up the cost.

These costings are independent of the parties' and done by Dr Dunn who is a former head of forecasting at IRD. I think this is a vital service that taxpayers can understand how much extra spending parties are promising to spend on their behalf, funded by taxpayers.

It's appalling that have such nonsense policies, that it is basically impossible to even cost them!

bribes

Note the above is a screen-shot. Use the link below to click through to get more details.

The bribe-o-meter is here. It will continue to be updated as parties continue to make promises about how they will spend your money.

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