Investigative journalist and author Nicky Hager has released a new book called Dirty Work, an “exposé” of the Taxpayers’ Union (TU), “the latest front for New Zealand’s radical right,” he says.

Hager argues the Taxpayers’ Union used anti-Māori rhetoric as a political tool — especially during its Stop Three Waters campaign — and shifted the 2023 election campaign to the right.

He claims both Act leader David Seymour and National leader Christopher Luxon pivoted toward this rhetoric to gain votes.

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Hager called Dirty Work the third part of a trilogy which began with The Hollow Men. The third part of the trilogy has focused on the TU.

He argued the TU arranged a “multi-million-dollar” campaign that helped move New Zealand’s 2023 election “to the right”.

The key characters were the co-founders, Jordan Williams and David Farrar, and a sister organisation called Hobson’s Pledge, set up by Don Brash, he wrote.

Hager said the book was the story of how a “campaign of racist politics unfolded,” alongside the “continual attacking, mocking and smearing of their political opponents”.

Hager said the story was about democracy. He said the book (and its predecessors) show “how easy it is to spin and manipulate” and how “our defences as a society (news media, electoral laws and so on) are inadequate to protect the public”.

He said the “rise of unregulated social media and dramatic collapse of traditional media have only made this problem worse.”

RNZ has asked those featured in the book for comment.

Taxpayers’ Union says it is under attack
Shortly after the book’s announcement, Williams sent supporters an email saying the book was “full frontal attack” on the Taxpayers’ Union, himself, and Farrar.

“Hager calls himself a journalist. But yet again he has ignored the most basic principles of fair journalism: put serious allegations to the people accused and give them a reasonable opportunity to respond,” Williams said.

He said Hager did not put the allegations in the book to the Taxpayers’ Union, nor did he seek an interview or give the TU the opportunity to “correct errors or provide missing context” before publication.

“Instead, he released his accusations at a carefully choreographed media event, in the middle of an election campaign, knowing that the headlines would be written before we could even obtain a copy of the book — let alone check its claims.”

Williams said the Taxpayers’ Union would work through the book carefully.