Taxpayers Union Slams Greens' CommieMart Costings and Warns of Rising Bond Yields

This week's Taxpayer Update from the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union brings attention to several election-related issues, including the costing of the Greens' CommieMart policy and NZ First's immigration reform package.

The Taxpayers' Union has been tracking the costings of various policies in its 2026 Election Bribe-O-Meter. The latest update includes an analysis of the Greens' plan to confiscate 120 supermarkets and two distribution centers, which would allegedly cost taxpayers $1.3 billion. However, the union's investigation found that this valuation is suspiciously low, with each supermarket valued at just $10.8 million.

The union also points out that the Parliamentary Library, a taxpayer-funded research service, was involved in costing the policy, despite being prohibited from assisting in election efforts. The Greens' reliance on this library for their costings has raised questions about transparency and accountability. The Taxpayers' Union is calling for an independent fiscal institution to properly cost election policies.

In other news, NZ First has announced a sweeping immigration reform package that includes capping residence approvals at 20,000 per year, a longer path to citizenship, and tighter rules around who can stay. The union's analysis found that implementing these reforms could save taxpayers $19.2 million in Auckland alone.

The Taxpayers' Union also highlights the rising cost of borrowing due to inflation fears, Middle East conflict, and global government borrowing. New Zealand's 10-year Government bond yield has broken the five percent barrier, with a current rate of around 4.8 percent. This increase in borrowing costs is a warning sign for taxpayers, as persistent deficits make the country more exposed when the price of borrowing rises.