Will’s Word: Willis vs Richardson, the economic showdown we didn’t see coming

Apparently, the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is gearing up to launch a new campaign and this time the target is, to no surprise, the Finance Minister Nicola Willis.

If you know anything about the union, this won't shock you. Their whole deal is to try and call out what they see as kind of wasteful spending, and push for better outcomes for taxpayers, as the name implies: Taxpayers' Union.

Sometimes it's helpful, sometimes it's loud, and always ready for a scrap. I've got to say, I do get a kick out of some of the campaigns that the Taxpayers' Union runs. They're hilarious, because what they actually call out is also, sadly, hilarious, in terms of the way in which we spend the taxpayer dollar.

This latest move, though, the gloves have well and truly come off. So instead of ignoring the criticism or batting it away, Nicola Willis has basically told the union's chair, Ruth Richardson, to front up directly, and basically scrap Willis in a debate.

It's a bold move from our Finance Minister, given, controversially, she has not delivered much in the way of economic growth yet. The conditions are there, though, for next year. And I've seen the way Ruth Richardson debates. He comes across as very articulate, very measured, and knows how to counter an argument.

I'll be honest, I'd be a wee bit nervous to try and debate Richardson. On the flip side, though, could the same be said of Ruth Richardson? Who, if you were around in the early 90s, was the architect behind the now infamous Mother of All Budgets.

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Two people who have held the finance position, battling it out. I would pay good money to watch those two go head to head. Surely there's a bit of economic growth to be found there because I'm putting money into it.

I'm not even confident enough to predict who would win in that debate. Though it does raise a pretty important question, too: has the public actually won with either of them at the helm of the country's finances? Fascinating indeed.

That is Will's Word.