Podcasts about national's nicola willis

National's Nicola Willis is ready to get stuck in after receiving her ministerial warrant. The newly sworn in Finance Minister plans to spend her first few days working on fiscal and economic updates in order to address the current economic climate. She says the outgoing Labour Government left her with several fiscal cliffs and risks to mitigate. "There's programs that they had ongoing that they just hadn't put money into for the future that realistically, we're going to have to find the money to fund." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Compromise at the Beehive. A split deputy prime ministership, with the role shared between New Zealand First's Winston Peters, and ACT's David Seymour. Peters takes the job for the first one and a half years, Seymour the second. Peters will also once again take on Foreign Affairs. The 20-strong Cabinet's comprised of 14 ministers from National, three from ACT, and three from New Zealand First. The Finance portfolio goes to National's Nicola Willis -- but the proposed foreign buyer tax will no longer go ahead. Gerry Brownlee will be nominated as speaker. Incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says National's tax package will be funded via spending re-prioritisation. Political commentators Peter Dunne and Brigitte Morten join Nick Mills as the coalition announcement unfolds, and provide analysis on Friday Faceoff. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Compromise at the Beehive. A split deputy prime ministership, with the role shared between New Zealand First's Winston Peters, and ACT's David Seymour. Peters takes the job for the first one and a half years, Seymour the second. Peters will also once again take on Foreign Affairs. The 20-strong Cabinet's comprised of 14 ministers from National, three from ACT, and three from New Zealand First. The Finance portfolio goes to National's Nicola Willis -- but the proposed foreign buyer tax will no longer go ahead. Gerry Brownlee will be nominated as speaker. Incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says National's tax package will be funded via spending re-prioritisation. Political commentators Peter Dunne and Brigitte Morten join Nick Mills as the coalition announcement unfolds, and provide analysis on Friday Faceoff. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The position of deputy prime minister is continuing to hold up the completion of coalition talks. The contest has narrowed today, as National's Nicola Willis publicly removed herself from the race. That leaves just ACT's David Seymour and New Zealand First's Winston Peters in the running. So how much longer will it take? Here's our deputy politcal editor Craig McCulloch.

On today's First Up pod - the UK's chief science official fronts up to the Covid-19 inquiry; Japan is to buy missiles from the US and North Korea isn't overly impressed; Woolworths is asking for a bit of peace, love and understanding at the supermarket; an Invercargill school principal who says he's moving to Australia because the education sector in Aoteraoa faces too many challenges with too few resources and we ask National's Nicola Willis if Christopher Luxon's had too many weetbix First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Ginny Andersen join Nick Mills for Politics Monday. Together they discuss the ongoing coalition negotiations between National, ACT and NZ First, fresh bullying allegations made against Ginny, the state of the Government's books, and pharmacists calling for prescriptions to remain free. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Post-election coalition talks are still under way, with leaders from all three parties meeting at Auckland's Cordis Hotel. National's Nicola Willis and Christopher Luxon have claimed that negotiations are heading into the final stages. ZB political editor Jason Walls says leaders from all three parties seem to agree talks are progressing well- but it's too soon to know for sure? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's Ginny Andersen and National's Nicola Willis join Nick Mills for Politics Monday. Together they discuss how coalition negotiations are tracking, New Zealand now being the second highest vaping nation, allegations that Ginny yelled at a teenage volunteer on election night, the Electoral Commission facing counting errors, and Chris Hipkins changing his tune on tax. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Nicola Willis is defending Luxon as he extends post-election coalition talks. Luxon has begun another week of discussions with coalition partners ACT and NZ First, and it's looking less likely he'll attend APEC on Wednesday. The Finance Minister-elect says she's not going to go into detail about who's talking to who, but coalition discussions are progressing.  "We're making sure we're getting through the issues that matter so we can sign agreements, go to the Governor-General and form a Government."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's Ginny Andersen and National's Nicola Willis join Nick Mills for Politics Monday following special votes being counted. Together they discuss whether David Seymour and Winston Peters can work constructively, if recounts can make a difference, the Mongrel Mob seeking legal advice regarding the National Party's gang policy, and Golden Mile contracts remaining unsigned. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour MP Greg O'Connor held on to his Ōhāriu seat despite his electorate majority voting for National. National's Nicola Willis made a strong challenge for the seat, but O'Connor held on. O'Connor spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

National's Finance spokesperson is defending her party's fiscal plan in the wake of criticism from her opponents.  Labour is calling out the Nats' proposed public service cuts.  The party suggests National would have to cut $3 billion a year to the public services, alleging that even if all communications staff and advertising was cut from some ministries, it still wouldn't add up.  National's Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking that savings will not undermine front line services, saying it's about backroom bureaucracy and reigning in wasteful spending.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour has accused National of misleading voters with their proposed tax plan. An analysis from Council of Trade Unions (CTU) shows just 3000 households would receive the $250 per fortnight relief National promised. National's Nicola Willis defended these figures saying the claim came with the 'up to' caveat- but admitted the 3000 figure was correct. ZB Political Editor Jason Walls says prospective voters have a responsibility to check what they can get- but National only advertised their most favourable figures.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The feathers are flying with Labour accusing Christopher Luxon of being too chicken to front up to a leaders debate here in Christchurch.   And I mean, literally, too chicken. Because it's going nuts on social media saying Luxon's running scared with a photo of him in a chicken suit.  And I reckon National will be quietly loving it. Because how desperate does Labour look? How desperate? Very desperate.  So a bit of background. Chris Hipkins has got COVID, he's isolating in a hotel and so can't make it tonight - which is when the debate was going to be held in the Christchurch Town Hall in front of a couple of thousand people and beamed out online, as well.  It seems that Labour has been bending over backwards to try and re-schedule. But National isn't quite so forthcoming with alternative dates.  Which is a bit of an understatement, actually. What National is saying is that Christopher Luxon is booked-up every night between now and the election and ‘no can do'.  It has suggested that perhaps the deputy leaders of Labour and National could have a debate instead. But we know why it's suggesting that, don't we? National's Nicola Willis would wipe the floor with Labour's Kelvin Davis. So, of course, Labour would never go for that.      So Labour is saying National is taking advantage of Hipkins being crook and it is running scared.   I read something where Megan Woods was saying something along the lines of Christopher Luxon being spooked by Chris Hipkins' strong performance in the second televised leaders debate last week, and so he's taking any chance he can get to avoid the Christchurch debate.     The National Party says that's nonsense. Which I agree with, by the way. Because Luxon hasn't pulled out at all. Hipkins has pulled out because he's stuck in a hotel room with COVID. So no-one's to blame.  Hipkins has pulled-out - for perfectly good reasons. He's got the COVID. And Luxon can't re-schedule because he's got other stuff on.  Although, I thought that National's campaign boss Chris Bishop was a bit over-the-top yesterday when he said “guess what, people in the South Island have TV” - saying we're not missing out at all, because we can still watch next week's debate on the telly.  If there's any legitimate question to ask National about this, is how committed it really is to the South Island. And I'll be asking Christopher Luxon that, when he's here between 10 and 10:30.  Because, even though ‘yes, we do have TVs here in the South Island' - as Chris Bishop said yesterday. Even though we can watch the debate next week from a TV studio in Auckland, there is nothing like locals having the chance to see the leaders of the two main parties in the flesh.  And having the chance to raise local issues with the two guys who want to be leading the next government after the election in just under two weeks.  But, as they say, it is what it is. And not much can be done about it. In fact, nothing can be done about it. Hipkins can't make it tonight and Luxon is busy every other night.  And Labour just needs to get over it. It needs to drop the stupid ads on social media. Can you believe that this close to the election, it's put thought, time and energy into making ads with Christopher Luxon dressed-up in a chicken suit?  Not to mention the fact that it is just so child-ish. And this is where a very clear distinction is starting to emerge between the two main parties. And it's why - whether you like him or not - Christopher Luxon is looking more and more like a Prime Minister.  And, because of Labour's stupid antics - especially this stuff with Luxon dressed as a chicken - because of this stuff, Chris Hipkins is looking less-and-less like a Prime Minister.  Thanks to some turkeys behind the scenes at Labour thinking it looks really clever.  Well it doesn't. It's the complete opposite. It looks desperate. And has egg all over its face. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As you'd expect National's fiscal plan is full of big numbers, but it also came with some chunky promises; including a bigger surplus and less debt than labour's offering and a committment to create quote "powerful jobs and powerful paychecks" for beneficiaries. In terms of savings, it plans to change the way benefits are calculated, tagging increases to inflation rather than wages saving $2 billion over the forecast period. But it's looking to spend hundreds of millions more on prisoners, with the number of the inmates expected to rise due its so called "tough on crime" approach. National's finance spokesperson Nicola Willis speaks to Lisa Owen. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6338044613112

National's Nicola Willis is satisfied with her party pulling ahead of the competition in another poll. The latest One News-Verian poll puts the National Party on 37 percent - down 2 points - and Labour on 27, down one. NZ First has crossed the 5 percent threshold again- meaning the party could join National and ACT in Parliament. Nicola Willis says this poll shows voters are in the mood for change, which she believes a vote for National could fix. "A vote for any other party risks 3 more years of Labour, beholden to Te Pāti Māori and the Greens. That would be a coalition of chaos." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ōhāriu voters will soon get the chance to decide who represents them in the next Parliament. Newstalk ZB's Wellington Mornings held a panel with candidates for the electorate seat. Labour Greg O'Connor, National's Nicola Willis and TOP's Jessica Hammond shared what they thought were the main issues in the area. They also debated how cost of living pressures can be alleviated, the Johnsonville Mall redevelopment and  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As policies fly about here and there in these last 4 weeks heading into the election, Labour's deputy prime minister and National's deputy leader will join once a week to gain insight into all things party-related.  National's Nicola Willis joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss any fiscal plans, Act vowing to end co-governance and Labour supposedly turning down proposals to stop gang funding.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are two serious contenders vying to be the next finance minister. Would they land you with a meat tax, a sugar tax, a capital gains tax, a tax-free income threshold? We hit Labour's Grant Robertson and National's Nicola Willis with a quick and dirty round of tax attack quickfire.

Now this is more like it team!    Leaders of Labour, National, and the Green Party all pledged last night to build at least another 1000 state houses a year in Auckland, if they win the election, in whatever configuration. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, National's deputy leader Nicola Willis, the Greens Co-leader Marama Davidson were guests at the launch in Māngere of Te Ohu Whakawhanaunga Tāmaki Makaurau, an umbrella group for this social housing sector which combines 45 groups all within the social housing sector - community housing providers, churches, unions and community networks.  It wasn't all peace, love, and Kumbaya, though. I mean, there is an election campaign underway, after all.   So, during the speeches and the pledging Chris Hipkins pumped up Labour. Labour has already exceeded the 1000 commitment. We've built 12,000 social house units since 2017. Seven thousand of them have been in Tamaki Makaurau but there is more work to be done.  National's Nicola Willis told the audience there were 261 people on the state house waiting list in Auckland when Labour took office in 2017, now there are 8175. So both parties made their points while making the pledge, but be that as it may, I think this is a really good first step.    Remember the other day when we were talking about the doctor's strike? And during a conversation I said, why don't the main parties agree to a minimum level of staffing in all hospitals, so that whoever's in Government says that this is the commitment we've made?  This is what we need to do. This is how many people we need to have on the floor at any given time and commit to it. Make it happen.   There should be some absolute fundamentals when it comes to infrastructure and a best practice curriculum within the education system, you know the basic stuff that keeps the country running. Then the politicians can play politics around the edges. If they're just left to tinker around the edges, that will minimise the damage that comes with ideologically driven politics. We need best practice, common sense politics.    So I think this is a good start, but boy, imagine being on the waiting list for a home.   This was where the election was, to a certain extent, won and lost for National in 2017. Ultimately, Winston Peters decided who won that election, and there must be a special place reserved in Hades for people like that. But housing was our big issue for National with people sleeping in their cars, families sleeping in their cars, with marae opening their doors and housing people through the cold winters.   And housing has been big news again because of Labour's empty hollow promises. Because Labour has also done some work, belatedly, on trying to get more state houses. But on the fact that there is so much need and again you can argue that's Labours poor policy. The unintended consequences of which they have been so often guilty, when it comes to the bright line test and the landlords.   Sure, it might make people get out of the private landlord market, but it has swollen the emergency housing list and the state housing list.   So 1000 a year in Auckland alone, sure. That's a very good start. It'll take more than eight years to even meet the need right now. Where are those houses going to come from and where are people living? If they can't afford to rent, they can't afford to pay their mortgage. Where do you live? How do you get your kids going to a school regularly when you've got no security about where you wake up?   In other political news, Nationals committed to building 10,000 new electric vehicle chargers because Chris Luxon says kiwis aren't switching to EVs because they have range anxiety. That would be a no.   I'm not switching to an EV because at the moment I have other things to spend $60,000 on. You know, even with the Government subsidy for EV's, that's a lot of money to spend on a car. Also, because I'm going to need a hard car in the Hokianga. All well and good pootling along in my little electric vehicle but if I'm stuck in the floods in the Hokianga, I'm going to need something with a bit of tit to get me out.  And my Nissan Leaf isn't going to be it, is it? No. So range anxiety is the least of my anxieties at the moment, Christopher Luxon. But thank you very much anyway.    Labour has announced a five point plan to grow the economy. I think my 6-year-old grandson could probably have come up with the same five points. He reads a bit. We have big discussions. He knows a bit about New Zealand. Export stuff. Yes, very good, excellent. Make our agriculture sector excellent - it is already, in spite of your Government, Chris Hipkins. Be a global leader in renewable energy. Well, that's a relatively new one. OK, I'll give you that one. Harness New Zealand's digital creativity and expertise. Have they met the team behind Weta? Have they heard of Sir Ian Taylor? These people have been developing New Zealand's digital creativity and being experts at it for years, all by themselves, without any Government handouts whatsoever. In fact, you've been an impediment to these people doing business.   Oh, and the last one. Get tourists to come here. Good one. Genius Chris! God. That's what we're doing or are trying to do, but you keep getting in the way. All of these things New Zealanders have been doing for more than 150 years. I'd even go so far as to say the digital stuff. You know, we've been innovating constantly because we've had brilliant scientists and we've had great minds. We've been doing this and all you have done for the past six years is get in the way. And impeded people from doing what they do best. Your five point power plan for the economy. Seriously, that is the best you can do? Cannibalize and ride on the coattails of what's already being done. Cool. Cool policy, Chris. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Nicola Willis is promising a 'competitive, cost-effective' scheme that will benefit Kiwi motorists. Leader Chris Luxon is pledging to deliver 10,000 EV chargers over the next 4 years, at a cost of $257 million. National also seeks to dump Labour's clean car discount scheme. Nicola Willis says National will collaborate with the private sector to deliver a competitive bidding process that will reduce costs. "It supports the investment, and it makes sure that we get the chargers in the right places around the country, so that all people are happy about driving EVs." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, North Shore Councillor Richard Hills and Trish Sherson of Sherson Willis PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day, and more! Grant Robertson's copping flack from National over yesterday's heated interview over Labour's GST-free fruit and veg policy. National's Nicola Willis says it's completely over the top for Robertson to hit back. Why did Robertson react so emotionally? Labour's new election promise will allow partners to take multiple weeks of paid parental leave. It would start with two weeks and go up to four weeks by 2026. Is there merit to this idea? The last FIFA Women's World Cup match in New Zealand is on tonight- why are we so into it? Have we just missed big events? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Claims National's approach to parental leave is more "flexible" than the current rules. A member's Bill proposed by National's Nicola Willis would allow parents to take paid leave at the same time, one after the other, or in overlapping instalments. Currently, primary carers can't take parental leave together. Labour was the only party to vote against it - using its majority in the House to block it. Kids Need Dadz field worker Allan Harvey told Francesca Rudkin giving families the ability to chose is important.  He says allowing both parents parents to take time off, while not having a financial impact is a good idea. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Labour MP who tried to increase paid parental leave says she'd have supported National's Bill - in theory. A member's Bill proposed by National's Nicola Willis would have allowed parents to take leave at the same time, one after the other, or in overlapping instalments. Currently, primary carers can't take parental leave together. Labour was the only party to vote against - using its majority in the House to block it. Community Law Centres Chief Executive Sue Moroney says it's an idea that's worth exploring. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National claims the Government's finances are teetering on the edge. Our newsroom has confirmed the Finance Minister met heads of major Government departments today. It's understood spending restraint was discussed. Grant Robertson today warned the Government had hard choices ahead. National's Nicola Willis says they believe things are much worse than forecast in the Budget. "Grant Robertson has instructed public service leaders to batten down the hatches, desperately dig up some savings- because he's got an almighty gap in the Government books." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Newstalk ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills and broadcaster Brodie Kane joined in on a discussion about the following:  National's Nicola Willis says she's been informed of Labour's planned election policy to remove GST from fruit and vegetables from an inside leak. Was this underhanded or good form? Where did this leak come from- was it from Labour? The Spanish women's football team have reportedly ditched their base in Palmerston North, labelling the region 'boring'. Is this fair of them to say? The Football Ferns are set to go up against Switzerland tonight- who's going to win? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A GST expert says it is possible to remove the tax from fruit and veges, but whether it's good policy is another question. National's Nicola Willis claims it's part of Labour's election tax policy, that's been leaked to her. Labour won't confirm or deny it. Deloitte GST specialist Allan Bullot told Mike Hosking we can make rules to do just about anything, but it might not be the best use of resources. He says the tax working group looked at a number of studies, including from overseas, and found only 30 percent of savings end up in consumers' hands. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A GST expert says it is possible to remove the tax from fruit and veges, but whether it's good policy is another question. National's Nicola Willis claims it's part of Labour's election tax policy, that's been leaked to her. Labour won't confirm or deny it. Deloitte GST specialist Allan Bullot told Mike Hosking we can make rules to do just about anything, but it might not be the best use of resources. He says the tax working group looked at a number of studies, including from overseas, and found only 30 percent of savings end up in consumers' hands. LISTEN ABOVE   'Not a bad idea': Is GST off fruit and veges Labour's new tax policy? -Thomas Coughlan, NZ Herald Labour is planning to resuscitate a policy from its disastrous 2011 election campaign to revive its ailing electoral hopes: taking GST off fresh fruit and vegetables. That is according to National Party Finance spokeswoman Nicola Willis who said she had been handed details of the plan. Willis has form in this area, claiming earlier this year that Labour was in the advanced stages of implementing a wealth tax, which turned out to be true. The Herald has confirmed Labour has looked at changes to GST as part of its tax policy - although the final details have not been announced. It is the second major leak from Labour in as many days. Willis warned the tax would hand millions to some of the country's largest and most profitable companies who would absorb the cut, and fatten their margins. A Labour Party battered and bruised from losing its fourth minister in seven months, and beset by a major leak from caucus this week, did not deny the tax rumours, with at least one MP saying the policy sounded like a good idea. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, speaking from Christchurch, did not deny the rumours. “I'm not going to announce a tax policy today and Nicola Willis should be focused on making her own policies add up,” Hipkins said. Police Minister Ginny Andersen, a Hipkins loyalist, noted it was an idea that had been “considered before - it's a nice idea”. “Yeah it's not a bad idea,” she said. National's finance spokeswoman Nicola Willis said she had been leaked the policy immediately before Question Time on Thursday. Photo / Mark Mitchell Asked whether the plan was actually Labour policy, Andersen said it would be “pre-announcing the Labour Party tax policy”. The Government's new Revenue Minister Barbara Edmonds also did not deny Labour would be taking GST off fresh fruit and vegetables. “Every party will have the ability to release their tax policies and ours is coming out in the coming weeks,” Edmonds said. “I'm not going to release our tax policy without the Prime Minister,” she said. Edmonds took over the role just this week after her predecessor David Parker asked to be reshuffled out of the job saying it was “untenable” for him to continue. Parker did not stop to take questions on his way to the House on Thursday - the fifth time he has walked away from waiting media since Hipkins revealed he had killed Parker's beloved wealth tax. Illustration / Rod Emmerson The policy, if correct, puts the party at odds with economists, at odds with its own Tax Working Group, at odds with coalition partners the Greens - and even at odds with Finance Minister Grant Robertson who rubbished the idea as recently as May. “GST is a comprehensive tax which makes it very easy to administer and people in the room who've been in other countries with more exemptions will know it becomes an absolute boondoggle to get through,” Robertson told Newshub in March last year. “If you do it off fresh fruit and vegetables, or even staple products, then you get into an argument of what's the difference between beetroot and canned beetroot, and if you want to make a real impact on the lowest income people you wouldn't cut the tax off fresh beetroot - that's not what people on low incomes buy,” he said. Green Party co-leader James Shaw said his party thought a GST cut was the wrong way to go, arguing that other countries had issues in deciding what counted as “fresh” and what did not. In the United Kingdom, for example, chickens were taxed at different rates in the same establishment depending on whether they were cooked or not. “We think it's better to focus on people's incomes,” Shaw said. Shaw cited his own party's policy which was to implement a wealth and trust tax to pay for tax cuts for 95 per cent of income taxpayers. New Revenue Minister Barbara Edmonds. Photo / Angus Dreaver, RNZ Of all the parties in Parliament, only Te Pāti Māori backed the GST policy, but it wants to go further, taking GST off all food. On Thursday, it unveiled a suite of other tax changes, including income tax cuts paid for by a wealth tax and hiking income and company tax. Infometrics chief executive and economist Brad Olsen described the idea as “pure politics over economics - I've never, ever, spoken to an expert in the field before in economics or tax policy who says ‘this is good policy, love it'. Everyone thinks it's diabolically silly.” Olsen said there was no way to guarantee the GST cut was “passed on and, more importantly… passed on in perpetuity”, warning firms would simply absorb the GST cut, particularly in a time of high inflation. Deloitte GST Partner Allan Bullot said the problem with taking GST off fresh fruit and vegetables was how to make it work, and whether suppliers and retailers will simply hike prices. “I think that would actually be quite difficult to do. Then there's ongoing [questions] of how do you do it? “What do you do if the supermarket suppliers themselves put the prices up to the supermarkets [or] if you've got a non-resident that says, ‘Oh, I see that New Zealand is taking GST off food - I'll crank my prices up'.” He said it raised questions of whether seeds and fertiliser should also be GST exempt. Sir Michael Cullen's Tax Working Group called a GST exemption "complex, poorly targeted for achieving distributional goals and generate significant compliance costs". Photo / Mark Mitchell NZ Initiative chief economist Dr Eric Crampton told TVNZ's Breakfast this morning that removing GST from some foods had worked “very badly” in other countries, with some becoming tied up in litigation over which foods qualified. Even taking GST off all foods - as proposed by Te Pāti Māori - would have saved the lowest-income households only about $17 per week at the time the Tax Working Group looked at the issue in 2018. “You could do a lot more good by simply increasing transfers to lower income communities by above that amount, rather than trying to take GST off of food. “So generally you want to have an increase in broad-based taxes - not punch holes in GST - and then use the money to give it to people who you think need it.” The Tax Working Group, established by Labour in its first term and led by former Labour Finance Minister Michael Cullen, dismissed targeted GST exemptions as “complex, poorly targeted for achieving distributional goals and generate significant compliance costs. Furthermore, it is not clear whether the benefit of specific GST exceptions are passed on to consumers.” It said taking GST off all food and drink - a far broader policy than what Labour is proposing - would cost $2.4b a year in 2018, and benefit the wealthiest 10 per cent of households more than three times as much as the poorest 10 per cent. Edmonds said that she was a “team player” and that she would implement the Labour tax policy. “Whatever the tax policy that our party will release, I will make sure if I come back as the Minister of Revenue, I will make workable,” she said. Having different rates of GST on different items is often criticised for creating a compliance burden for businesses, which is passed on to consumers. Edmonds said this challenge was not insurmountable. “There is always a compliance issue with any tax regime and it's something that ministers and any party would need to work through,” she said. Labour had planned to announce its tax policy last week but pulled the announcement sometime after the party's Tuesday morning caucus meeting. Thomas Coughlan is deputy political editor of the New Zealand Herald, which he joined in 2021. He previously worked for Stuff and Newsroom in their Press Gallery offices in Wellington. He started in the Press Gallery in 2018.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Ben Thomas from Ben Thomas PR and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! National's Nicola Willis revealed Labour may be planning to take GST off fruit and vegetables and Te Pati Maori plans to create a tax-free threshold of $30,000. Will these new policies make it even harder for Labour to win? New developments surrounding the circumstances of Kiri Allan's arrest- today, it was revealed she was found by police dogs 500 metres from the site of the crashed car. Do we need more insight into this case, or should it rest? Kevin Spacey has been acquitted- should he get the chance to make a comeback? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's staying tight-lipped on its tax policy- despite the Opposition claiming they've figured it out. National's Nicola Willis claims Labour's planning to dump GST from fruit and vegetables. Hipkins hit back, saying Willis will have to wait for Labour's tax proposals like everybody else. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says he remembers this issue being discussed 12 years ago- and still believes it's a ridiculous solution.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's hard to believe it's possible, but Labour's week just got even worse- because their tax policy just got leaked. National's Nicola Willis says she's got a source who told her Labour is planning to announce it'll take the GST off fresh fruit and veges, which immediately got headlines because her sources have proved pretty solid. Remember, she got the tip-off that Labour was working on a wealth tax-tax switch, and it turned out they were. The Prime Minister was asked about the GST plan today and didn't deny it. So I'd say there's a pretty good chance it's on. This is actually a rubbish policy. I mean, if you're having a hard time paying the bills, this is a massive step down from the tax switch Labour was working on, because that would've given you $1050 extra a year. You're not gonna get that much back from the GST scrap unless you're spending $7000 a year on fresh fruit and veges, which most of us would not.  This is hardy going to convince punters that Labour really is dealing with the bread and butter issues of the cost of living crisis. And it's old. This is a reheated policy from 2011. We debated it then, we shot it down then. 12 years between then and now hasn't made it a better idea.  Labour will be gutted that National leaked the news, because they've lost the chance to announce it on their terms and try to sell this idea to us as something better than it is. That opportunity's gone. And I don't think they had all their ducks in a row to be ready to announce this. We were told they would have announced their tax policy by now- so the fact they haven't suggests there was more work to do. Or they were hoping to announce at a time when they weren't bogged down with a man who shot and killed his workers in Auckland Central and a minster who got behind the wheel after drinking, crashed the car and then left the scene. Remember, just a couple of months ago, we were talking about Labour's tax policy as being one of the last things they had up their sleeve to try to win the election. But now we probably know what it is, and it's a bit of a damp squib.  So, they'll be gutted. Just like a whole bunch of Labour voters will be gutted that that's the best the bread and butter party can do.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's finance spokesperson says she's shocked by Government's inability to confirm if the Provincial Growth Fund is getting bang for buck. Parliament has been told the paper trail tracking the Government's handling of the $640 million fund is so poor, auditors had to ask officials to recall what happened in their meetings. National's Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking she can't believe they didn't check the applications against the original criteria. She says it gives the impression the Government is spraying around a big money hose full of taxpayer cash. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's finance spokesperson says she's shocked by Government's inability to confirm if the Provincial Growth Fund is getting bang for buck. Parliament has been told the paper trail tracking the Government's handling of the $640 million fund is so poor, auditors had to ask officials to recall what happened in their meetings. National's Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking she can't believe they didn't check the applications against the original criteria. She says it gives the impression the Government is spraying around a big money hose full of taxpayer cash. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's First Up pod - Prince Harry is due in court - we're in London for the latest; a zoo in Japan so good the wild animals are breaking in! National's Nicola Willis on the King's honours list, police numbers and Auckland airport shares and a smart young woman whose last minute effort won her the opportunity of a lifetime. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

National is calling Budget 2023 a "blowout budget". The party's deputy leader and finance spokesperson Nicola Willis talks to Lisa Owen. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6327723386112

National's finance spokesperson discusses the research released by IRD on the tax position of New Zealand's wealthiest families. Plus, is National open to working with Winston Peters?

On today's First Up pod - a study on long Covid has raised concerns amongst infectious disease experts in Australia; Phil Goff talks about his new life as New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom; weask National's Nicola Willis about the latest inappropriate remark by one of the party's new candidates and a school principal tells us what impact the government's plan to reduce class sizes from 29 to 28 students will actually have. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod - over 30s can now get their second Covid jab - why is the rollout so low-key this time around? Did yesterday's government announcement about changes to the lobby rules go far enough? We speak to an expert who says, yeah, nah and we ask National's Nicola Willis if it's fair that Stuart Nash is able to join a big lobby firm the day after he leaves Parliament. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

National's Nicola Willis is weighing in on the ongoing banking profit saga. The opposition's finance spokesperson is suggesting a select committee run a 'short, sharp' inquiry into the increased bank profits. Nicola Willis has proposed this select committee keep the scope of the inquiry focussed, hearing evidence from a narrow group of stakeholders. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says Nicola Willis wants this investigation to be quicker and less resource-intensive than a formal Commerce Commission market study. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Nicola Willis is weighing in on the ongoing banking profit saga. The opposition's finance spokesperson is suggesting a select committee run a 'short, sharp' inquiry into the increased bank profits. Nicola Willis has proposed this select committee keep the scope of the inquiry focussed, hearing evidence from a narrow group of stakeholders. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says Nicola Willis wants this investigation to be quicker and less resource-intensive than a formal Commerce Commission market study. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was asked about his Government's approach to taxation in his first question time, but got caught out making a mistake. Hipkins was asked about the proportion of taxation compared to national GDP and incorrectly stated the current Government was taking less tax out of the economy as a proportion of the economy. Treasury figures showed this was inaccurate, as GDP rose from 27 percent to 30 percent under Labour. Barry Soper, ZB's senior political correspondent says Chris Hipkins was forced to eat his words in front of National's Nicola Willis and Finance Minister Grant Robertson. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on RNZ National. A man working in an Auckland dairy has died after being stabbed during a violent robbery. The Reserve Bank tells everyone in the country to tighten their belts and prepare for a recession. We'll have shoppers reactions and we'll speak to the Finance Minister and National's Nicola Willis. And there's been yet another upset at the Football World Cup overnight - Japan have stunned Germany 2-1 in Qatar

Labour's whopping great childcare support payments mean half of all Kiwi families will get a cash injection timed to kick in about six months out from the election.   But based on the latest Newshub Reid Research Poll, It's going to take a lot more than that to win voters back. Labour is free-falling, hitting its worst result under Jacinda Ardern's leadership ever, a meagre 32.3 percent. It's no wonder Labour's lashing out - Here's Finance Minister Grant Robertson at the party conference over the weekend. National's Finance Spokeswoman Nicola Willis is not the only person vying for his job, with Seymour hot on her heels with a bid to take the role if National and ACT form a coalition come the next election.  Willis said she believes it's too early to be worried about who will take the prized finance position, even though National Party leader Christopher Luxon didn't rule out the idea of Seymour as Finance Minister. "No. Look, I'm very relaxed about that," said Willis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Ginny Anderson joined Nick Mills on Parliament's recess week. They discussed the PPTA's push to abolish streaming in schools by 2030, and the escalating tensions in Asia, among other big talking points of the week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There would have been sighs of relief right around the country when the Government's proposed KiwiSaver GST was axed.  National's petition against the move had amassed more than 20 thousand signatures in less than 24 hours! The party's Finance Spokesperson Nicola Willis tweeted saying National ‘has your back' after forcing Labour to U-turn, and she joins us now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Treasury were worried about the scheme's NZ$800m cost, as well as it being not well targeted to those who need it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Overseas-based Kiwis are "confused" and "embarrassed" at being told they would receive the Government's cost-of-living payment tomorrow and critics say including those living out of New Zealand in the scheme is "disrespectful" to hard-working taxpayers. Kiwis as far afield as the Netherlands, Sydney, London and Dubai have expressed their concern to National's Nicola Willis, who said many of them felt guilty and that they did not deserve the money. One man working in Dubai had not been a New Zealand resident for nearly 22 years, yet received the same email as more than 2.1 million Kiwis: that his first payment would be in his account within the next two days. His mother contacted the Herald irate at what she said was "incredible wastage of our taxpayers' money". Numerous members of a Facebook group for French travellers in New Zealand also received the payment email despite no longer being in the country. One person had been away for 13 months while others' visas had been cancelled so they couldn't see how they were eligible. An Inland Revenue spokesperson acknowledged it was possible people no longer living in New Zealand could get the payment. "If someone has left the country and hasn't told Inland Revenue they're not living here currently we will have treated them as resident and they may receive the cost of living payment." They also said people who weren't in paid work in New Zealand during the 2021/22 tax year could receive the payment if they have income from bank interest. The spokesperson said that IRD is "using a variety of information" to determine eligibility, including addresses, bank accounts and tax residency status. "People must have had a 2022 tax assessment with eligible income such as salary and wages or bank interest," the spokesperson said. The cost of living payment was a surprise addition to the May Budget. Eligible New Zealanders will get roughly $27 a week for three months, adding up to $350. To be eligible for the payment, you had to earn no more than $70,000, not be receiving the Winter Energy Payment, be 18 years or older, a New Zealand tax resident and be present here and not be in prison. The first payment will be $116.67, followed by another payment of the same amount on September 1. The final payment of $116.67 will be on October 3, the first business day of that month. The projected cost of the rollout is $816 million. Willis, who is National's deputy leader and finance spokeswoman, said people outside New Zealand receiving the funds showed "how cavalier" the Government had become with taxpayer cash. "The Government should be treating every taxpayer dollar as carefully as the taxpayers spending it right now, we are in very tough times, wages are not keeping up with prices, Kiwis are doing it tough and they have a right to expect that the Government will be careful with their money." Willis maintained that this was "disrespectful to taxpayers who work hard, who are suffering with the cost of living and are now learning that the Government is spraying their money around offshore". She had received many messages over the last few days from people saying they were "embarrassed" to receive the underserved money. Some were "very confused", saying that they were not only paying tax to another country, but also paying off student loans, so surely this would have alerted something within the IRD's system. "The Government was explicitly warned that ... by doing this policy on the fly, there would be all sorts of unintended consequences," Willis said. "They were warned that it would be difficult to target people effectively, warned that people who shouldn't be eligible for it would get it regardless and that is exactly what's happening." The payments are designed to help Kiwis battle the rising cost of living, with annual inflation hitting 7.3 per cent in the June quarter. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday didn't accept that the payments would themselves help stoke inflation and said they were expected to have minimal impact on any rise. "The advice that we got from Treasury is that because it was time limited and targeted would lessen the potential impact on inflation," she told TVNZ's Q+A. "The responsibility we have is to help New Zealanders get through it and that's where you'll see that we've been so squarely focused on where we can take that pressure off. "You'll see that we've tried to be agile to the circumstances we see and we'll continue to see what impacts these are having on New Zealanders and do what we can, we have a way to go with getting the food costs down which is another big project for us." Ardern said she'd be prepared to take an "honest" look into the drivers of inflation in New Zealand but reiterated that the country is in company with the rest of the world.She said the main cause of inflation was global drivers rather than government spendingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anna Brooks joins us to talk about the apparent reversal by the Government to semi/sorta/kinda mandate masks in schools and her experience seeing Dr Ashley Bloomfield's last official engagement before retiring. Also, we find out why National's Nicola Willis and Christopher Lux were so soft on the PM over her mask less photo during the week as Luxon posts a video of himself in a mask less meet and greet We have a look at Three Waters by the numbers, lots of talk that this will cost us more, what are the numbers for your region according to the Government? We chat with Dr Tim Chambers about his scholarly blog titled "Three Waters reforms are needed to protect public health and ensure changes are economically sustainable and efficient" and ask about the public health issues that Three Waters is attempting to remedy https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/three-waters-reforms-are-needed-to-protect-public-health-and-ensure-changes-are-economically-sustainable-and-efficient/

Almost every day for the last two and half years the Prime Minister's implored us to follow the COVID rules - "for the greater good" she said, "for the team of five million" she entreated! Her latest directive? The importance of masks to curtail transmission when our hospitals are on the brink. But then... the Prime Minister defies her own mask mandate. Not only failing to wear a mask in a public venue as the law requires but to make matters worse she broke the rules in parliament, surrounded by teenage aspiring MPs. National's Deputy Leader Nicola Willis joins us to discuss... does she side with Ardern over this though?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's First Up pod - Boris Johnson is in Germany for the G7 and Ukraine is leading the agenda - UNESCO recognises Rewana bread as a cultural icon, New Zealanders over 50 will be offered another covid-19 booster as more people are eligible for free flu jabs.. and National's Nicola Willis addresses concerns her party isn't sympathetic to women who want abortions.

National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Kieran McAnulty join Nick Mills for Politics Monday.This week they discuss the fatal crash in Picton, Matariki, Trevor Mallard's diplomatic posting, Sam Uffindell's win in Tauranga and what lies ahead for immigration minister Michael Wood.  LISTEN ABOVE 

National has dubbed Budget 2022 as 'backwards' and a 'blowout'. Finance spokesperson Nicola Willis talks to Lisa Owen.  

Labour's Kieran McAnulty and National's Nicola Willis join Nick Mills for Politics Monday.This week they discuss the Government's Emissions Reduction Plan, the cost-of-living crisis, budget day, recent polls and the Australian election.LISTEN ABOVE

In today's Focus on Politics podcast, Political Editor Jane Patterson sits down with the Finance Minister Grant Robertson and National's Nicola Willis to preview this month's Budget.

National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Kieran McAnulty join Nick Mills for Politics Monday, ahead of Cabinet reviewing the Covid traffic light settings and the scrapping of vaccine passes.They discuss Covid restrictions, Beehive culture, the dangers of social media and Transmission Gully. LISTEN ABOVE  

Nick Mills quizzes Labour's Kieran McAnulty and National's Nicola Willis on the America's Cup, Covid-19, Māori co-governance and even shoes.LISTEN ABOVE 

Nick was joined by National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Kieran McAnulty for this week's Politics Monday.Among today's topics was the current Covid Traffic Light settings and the seriousness of long Covid. LISTEN ABOVE

The Police Minister lashed out at National's Nicola Willis in Parliament on Tuesday after a range of questions over crime in emergency housing. Poto Williams was defending a response she gave back in June about reports held by police. The government's been facing questions about whether the police and the minister have been fully transparent, when asked whether crime and violence has increased around emergency motels. Here's our political editor, Jane Patterson.

In our weekly catch-up with National's Nicola Willis and Kieran McAunulty, we debate the issues around how to ensure our vaccination rates align with supply, and how important is it to be holding Parliament when some or all of the country is at level 4?LISTEN ABOVE

National's Nicola Willis says the government needs to work harder to find better alternatives for emergency housing than motels. Conditions in many have been described as dangerous, and there are warnings about the significant potential for abuse and sexual violence. That's despite the government spending more than one million dollars a day on the program. Nicola Willis spoke to RNZ's political editor Jane Patterson.