Taxpayer advocacy group scrutinising government spending and campaigning for lower, more transparent taxation.
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is an incorporated taxpayer-advocacy group founded in 2013 by Jordan Williams and David Farrar. It reports approximately 200,000 registered supporters and more than 21,000 individual donors, funds its work through memberships and donations, publishes policy submissions and polling, and runs campaigns on government spending and taxation. For road funding, the organisation supports a user-pays principle and backed the application of RUC to electric vehicles. It argues National Land Transport Fund revenue should be concentrated on roads and that fuel-tax increases affect lower-income and rural motorists disproportionately. Its 2026 'Toll Not Tax' work added a clearer position on tolling: users should retain a practical free route and toll revenue should be ring-fenced to the road or corridor concerned. Ruth Richardson became board chair in June 2025. The organisation has also attracted controversy over false-identity OIA requests, historic corporate funding from British American Tobacco, defamation litigation and the conduct of former board member Stuart Nash.
High-profile media campaigns using the 'Porky' mascot and 'Jonesies' awards to highlight wasteful government spending. Includes visiting government entities with satirical waste certificates and generating media coverage of questionable expenditure.
Detailed submissions to select committees, government consultations, and reviews on tax policy, spending, and regulatory matters. Includes submissions to the Tax Working Group and various parliamentary select committees.
Commissions regular polling through Curia Market Research on tax, spending, and policy issues to gauge public sentiment and support advocacy campaigns.
Regular email newsletter to 200,000+ supporters communicating campaign results, government waste stories, and policy advocacy updates.
Ongoing campaigns against fuel excise increases and for the redirection of National Land Transport Fund spending to core roading purposes. Includes the fueltax.nz campaign and advocacy for lower fuel excise and RUC rates.
New Zealand Taxpayers' Union founded on 30 October 2013 by Jordan Williams and David Farrar as an incorporated society. Williams (a Wellington lawyer) became Executive Director; Farrar (a political commentator and founder of Curia Market Research) became a board member.
Launched the 'Porky' government waste mascot campaign, with Williams and Porky visiting government agencies to present satirical waste awards and draw media attention to excessive public spending.
Campaigned against Labour Government's fuel excise increases and Auckland Regional Fuel Tax, arguing fuel tax hikes disproportionately affect low-income and rural New Zealanders.
Made detailed submission to the Tax Working Group on behalf of members, advocating for lower and simpler taxes.
Launched major campaign opposing Labour's Three Waters reforms and co-governance policies. Ran fueltax.nz campaign against proposed fuel excise increases.
Supporter base reaches 204,000 registered members and supporters. Successfully campaigned for temporary fuel excise duty cuts during cost-of-living crisis, which the organisation claimed as a 'taxpayer victory'.
Co-founder David Farrar resigns from the board after ten years. Jordan Williams elected Chair/President of the World Taxpayers Association. Book 'The Mission: The Taxpayers' Union At 10' published by David Cohen to mark tenth anniversary.
Welcomed Government's decision to apply Road User Charges to electric and hybrid vehicles from 1 April 2024. Campaigns Manager Connor Molloy called it the removal of 'a senseless distortion' and demanded NLTF funding be redirected to road upgrades with surplus used to cut fuel excise and RUC rates.
On 1 April 2025, the Taxpayers' Union published a satirical announcement that founder Jordan Williams was departing to chair the 'Department of Government Efficiency Aotearoa' (DOGEA) - an April Fool's Day parody of Elon Musk's DOGE initiative. In June, former Minister of Finance Hon Ruth Richardson CNZM was appointed Chair of the Taxpayers' Union board. In July, former Labour Cabinet Minister Stuart Nash and Dr John Harman joined as Board Directors; Nash resigned in September after making crude comments to Trade Minister Todd McClay. The organisation also faced a High Court defamation claim from Melanie Mark-Shadbolt seeking $225,000+ over its reporting on a $4 million kauri dieback research project funded by MBIE's National Science Challenges.
Campaigned on road funding and tolling through its 'Toll Not Tax' work. It opposed corridor tolling without a practical free alternative, argued toll revenue should be ring-fenced to the roads concerned, and continued calling for relief from fuel taxes during the 2026 fuel-price shock.
Board Chair
Former Minister of Finance (1990-93), architect of the 'Mother of all Budgets' (1991). Appointed Chair of the Taxpayers' Union board in June 2025. Appointed Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours for services as a Member of Parliament and to governance. Internationally recognised public finance expert.
Founder & Executive Director
Wellington lawyer admitted as Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand. Previously practised constitutional and commercial law. Was spokesperson for Vote for Change (2011 MMP referendum campaign). Elected Chair/President of World Taxpayers Association in 2023.
Co-Founder & former Board Member (resigned 2023)
Founder of Curia Market Research and prominent centre-right political commentator. Co-founded the Taxpayers' Union with Williams in 2013 and served on the board for ten years until July 2023.
Campaigns Manager
Joined the Taxpayers' Union in February 2022 as Student Intern, progressed through Researcher and Deputy Campaigns Manager to Campaigns Manager leading the Wellington office. Primary spokesperson on fuel tax and road user charges policy.
Policy and Public Affairs Manager
Joined from the UK Conservative Party. Manages policy advocacy, political strategy, and public affairs for the organisation.
Board Director
Medical doctor appointed to the board in July 2025 alongside Stuart Nash.
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union engages with road user charges primarily through the lens of tax efficiency, user-pays principles, and cost-of-living impacts. The organisation welcomed the Government's 2024 decision to end the RUC exemption for electric and hybrid vehicles, viewing it as removing an unfair distortion that allowed one class of road users to avoid contributing to road funding. The Taxpayers' Union has consistently argued that fuel excise and RUC revenue should be ringfenced exclusively for road upgrades and maintenance, criticising the diversion of National Land Transport Fund money to non-roading purposes. While not a direct participant in RUC system design or technology procurement, the organisation's advocacy on fuel tax and road funding policy makes it a vocal stakeholder in the broader RUC reform debate.
In October 2018, the NZ Herald revealed that Taxpayers' Union staff had used false identities - at least nine fictitious people linked to a single TU email address - to lodge Official Information Act requests with government agencies. Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier described it as the first such organised cluster of false identities in the OIA's 36-year history, though using pseudonyms for OIA requests breached no law. The Taxpayers' Union initially refused to comment for two days, then admitted the practice, claiming it was forced to use pseudonyms because it was being 'stonewalled' by agencies.
In January 2019, Newsroom and NZ Doctor reported that British American Tobacco (BAT) had been a financial supporter of the Taxpayers' Union for at least three years, paying a 'standard annual corporate membership fee'. The organisation had not disclosed this funding in its reports or press releases, despite running campaigns opposing tobacco excise increases and promoting e-cigarette use through its 'Clear The Air' campaign. Jordan Williams stated that total industry money (tobacco, alcohol, sugar, soda) was less than 3% of the TU's total revenue.
A protracted defamation dispute between co-founder Jordan Williams and former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig reached the Supreme Court. After Conservative Party press secretary Rachel MacGregor alleged sexual harassment by Craig in communications with Williams, Craig responded with a pamphlet delivered to 1.6 million homes. Williams sued Craig for defamation and was initially awarded a record $1.27 million by a jury. The judge set aside the verdict, finding the damages excessive and the jury misdirected, and ordered a retrial. In December 2019, Williams and Craig settled, with Williams issuing an apology to Craig and agreeing to make an undisclosed payment.
Environmental sociologist Melanie Mark-Shadbolt filed a High Court defamation claim against the Taxpayers' Union seeking over $225,000 in damages over its coverage of a $4 million MBIE-funded kauri dieback research project. The TU had reported that Mark-Shadbolt, while a director of the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge, had allocated taxpayer funds for the 'Oranga Wellbeing Project' - including playing whale songs to kauri trees - to Te Tira Whakamataki, an organisation of which she was chief executive. Mark-Shadbolt demanded the TU delete its coverage and 'purge' its email communications. The TU is defending the claim.
2576763
9429043241835
NZ Incorporated Society
11 Mar 2013
Level 4, 117 Lambton Quay, Wellington Central, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
Source: NZ Companies Office · Last checked February 2026
View on Companies Register
