By RNZ

The Taxpayers’ Union has launched a campaign targeting Finance Minister Nicola Willis and calling out what it says is the Government’s “growing habit of sugar-coating fiscal truths”.

The organisation released packaged fudge branded with an image of Willis with the slogan “A treat today – A tax tomorrow”.

One union is describing the fudge and debate as a “shameless right-wing stunt”.

Taxpayers’ Union chairwoman and former National MP and Finance Minister Ruth Richardson said Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had condemned the previous Government’s “sugar-rush economics” but that this Government had “reached for the same lolly jar”.

“Government spending has actually increased – both in real terms and as a proportion of the economy – since [former Finance Minister and Labour MP] Grant Robertson left office,” she said.

Speaking to RNZ, Richardson called the situation “deadly serious” and said the country could not continue on its current debt track.

She said New Zealand needed to get in good financial shape or it would end up “with the worst of all worlds” – high inflation and low growth.

“Are we anywhere near a surplus? No, is debt coming down? No. The level of public spending is not coming down and the number of public servants ... has scarcely been touched,” Richardson said.

The Taxpayers' Union released packaged fudge branded "Nicola's Fudge", with an image of Nicola Willis and the slogan "A treat today – a tax tomorrow". Photo / RNZ

“The books unfortunately are not in the shape that [Willis] would claim, it’s no use shifting the goal posts and pretending when we look at surpluses that we shouldn’t count certain expenditures, and it’s no use continuing to say ‘I’m saving money’ but I’m just repurposing it and spending it elsewhere.

“We’re all vulnerable if we are fuelling public spending in a way that’s going to fuel inflation ... that’s why we’re running a campaign to say ‘get a grip on the figures, get a grip on what’s out of control, and ensure that we now have the kind of budgeting that we’ve not had under the previous Labour Government.”

Richardson said the Taxpayers’ Union was being “very constructive” and said there was $35 billion worth of “proper, sensible savings” to be made.

Nicola Willis defended her record, calling the campaign a "silly stunt" and emphasising reprioritised spending. Photo / Michael Craig

“Those are the paths to recovery,” she said.

In anticipation of the campaign, Willis threw down the gauntlet on Tuesday, challenging Richardson to “come out of the shadows” and debate the substance of the issue.

Richardson initially laughed it off. But the Taxpayers’ Union later issued a media release, saying Richardson was “more than happy” to debate.

An opinion article from Newstalk ZB host Heather du Plessis-Allan claimed to have heard Willis’ office “would prefer to do it next year”.

In response, Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Jordan Williams said Richardson had picked next Thursday on ZB and Herald NOW after Willis said she would debate Richardson “anytime, anywhere”.

Willis’ office said she had not pulled out of anything and was just sorting out the details.

On Wednesday, Willis said she was proud of her Government’s record of reprioritising spending.

“I really want the chance to defend our Government."

Last year, debt as a percentage of GDP remained level for the first time in six years. Spending as a percentage of GDP fell.

"Nicola's Fudge", released by the Taxpayers' Union targeting Finance Minister Nicola Willis, who called the group's approach "silly stunts". Photo / RNZ

Taxpayers’ Union head of communications Tory Relf told RNZ the organisation is all about “good policy” and did not mind which party it came from.

“We will work with whoever it is to deliver that good policy and right now, minister Willis is not delivering it.”

Relf said it was not about attacking Willis as a person.

“She is Minister of Finance, the same way they did ‘Robbo’s Removals’ when he was Minister of Finance.

“Whoever was in that role, there would be a play on words or a gimmick to draw attention to the issue.”

In response to the campaign, Willis told RNZ the Government was putting the books back in order.

“I’m not going to comment on silly stunts. I want a debate on the substantive policy issues.”

The Taxpayers’ Union would not disclose how much the campaign cost, but said it had been done internally.

In a statement, the Public Service Association (PSA) union described the debate and the associated fudge as a “shameless right-wing stunt”.

National secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the expensive boxes of fudge were a “deliberate false-flag operation to make Willis seem more moderate than she really is”.

The Labour Party had earlier said the “public duel” was being used as a distraction from what really matters to New Zealanders.

“Nicola Willis is no moderate,” Fitzsimons said. “It’s her decisions that have seen $20 billion given away in tax cuts and handouts to landlords, big tobacco and businesses. It’s her decisions that led to our health system being underfunded and under strain. It’s her decisions that cancelled pay equity for over 150,000 women to prop up her Budget. It’s her decisions that have seen thousands of public servants laid off, including over 600 scientists and researchers.”

She said the “Taxpayers’ (not-a-) Union” was “trying to shift the Overton Window – to make this prescription for austerity appear mainstream and normalised so it doesn’t cost votes.

“New Zealanders won’t be fooled by this gaslighting ... the PSA will not be eating the tainted fudge we received.”

– RNZ