Story perspectives

Nicky Hager’s “Dirty Work” Accuses Taxpayers’ Union Collusion

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 11:55 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Nicky Hager released “Dirty Work”, accusing the Taxpayers’ Union of coordinated right-wing collusion.
He alleges Nick Mowbray and his father Harry privately funded the Union, with no significant foreign money.
Hager says British American Tobacco gave instructions to the Union, which then paid its campaign firm.
The book sold out in 20 minutes at Unity Books in Wellington, prompting journalists to share a single copy.

History

Historical Context

The November 23, 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between the four major U.S. cigarette makers—Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds, Brown & Williamson and Lorillard—and 46 states committed the firms to pay at least $206 billion and to release internal documents. Those disclosures spurred calls for tighter transparency, prompting New Zealand’s Parliament and groups like the Taxpayers’ Union to adopt stricter rules.

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Story summary

Nicky Hager released “Dirty Work”, accusing the Taxpayers’ Union of coordinated right-wing collusion.
He alleges Nick Mowbray and his father Harry privately funded the Union, with no significant foreign money.
Hager says British American Tobacco gave instructions to the Union, which then paid its campaign firm.
The book sold out in 20 minutes at Unity Books in Wellington, prompting journalists to share a single copy.

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