Maxwell Johnston
Over five weeks, I had the amazing opportunity to intern with the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union at their Wellington office. Arriving in late June, despite the freezing weather of ‘Windy Wellington’, I had the chance to work across policy analysis and communications for one of New Zealand’s biggest lobby groups, who champions greater government accountability and lower taxes.
In particular, I researched and produced papers on key issues facing everyday Kiwi’s, including MPs’ remuneration and perks, the possibility of an armchair audit regime, tax inequality, and the public-to-private sector wage gap. I also contributed to media content educating Kiwis on the failure of capital gains tax and why they should avoid it – see the link here. Policy engagement was one of my favourite parts of being at the Taxpayers’ Union, as it gave me a much better understanding of how research can be turned into something that reaches a much wider audience.
One of the biggest highlights was seeing this process happen first-hand. I had the slightly surreal experience of dressing up as Porky Pig alongside Jordan Williams for a national television advocacy stunt. It was funny, but it also showed me that effective advocacy is not always about presenting another long policy paper but about getting people’s attention on important matters.
I also had the chance to travel to Christchurch for the university O-Day as part of Generation Screwed, the Taxpayers’ Union’s youth wing. This experience showed me the differences between our Australian university system and the level of engagement New Zealand students have in their politics and public debates.
My biggest takeaway was simple: good research can drive powerful advocacy, shaping public debate, changing the course of a story, and influencing the conversations that matter to a nation. Being at the Taxpayers’ Union taught me to become much more interested in the process of taking an idea, testing it against evidence, and then communicating it in a way that ordinary people can actually understand. This is something I hope to carry into my studies and future work.
Being an Australian in New Zealand also made the experience more entertaining. There was plenty of the usual rivalry over pavlova and sporting bragging rights, but living in Wellington gave me a genuine appreciation for New Zealand. Living with my fellow Mannkal Scholar Kean was more than half the fun as we learned new skills, explored Wellington, and became great mates along the way.
Outside the office, I spent a lot of my free time simply exploring. I went on day walks an hour or two outside Wellington, took trains to Waikanae and Upper Hutt, and caught ferries across the harbour. I also made a day trip to Masterton, where I enjoyed the different landscapes. Even walking through unfamiliar streets around Wellington became a favourite way to spend an afternoon. Looking back, the combination of challenging work and the freedom to explore somewhere new made the internship a particularly memorable part of my experience.
In conclusion, I loved my time at the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union, and I genuinely learned so much that I will continue to use in my future. A huge thank you to the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union and the Mannkal Economic Education Foundation for this incredible opportunity.
