Labour’s ‘Axe the Tax’ bus to tour Dunedin
Labour Party MPs campaigning against an increase to GST reach Dunedin on Friday rallying against John Key’s unfair plans to lift the rate to 15 percent, says Dunedin Labour List MP David Parker.
“National did not contest the 2008 election on a promise to lift GST,” David Parker said.
“No one voted for an increase in GST. John Key’s plan will have a destructive impact on the lives of all low to middle-income Kiwis who have borne the brunt of the recession, and who are already struggling to make ends meet without a GST hike.”
Labour’s two-week bus campaign against the increase kicked off in Auckland on Sunday 28 February Labour Leader Phil Goff and Deputy Leader Annette King will be on the bus for much of the two weeks.
“Phil feels passionately that the GST increase must be stopped,” says David Parker.
“GST will hurt most middle to low income Kiwis. The Government’s promise is to just compensate people on middle incomes when the highest earners are hundreds of dollars better off each week through cutting the top tax rate. People know this is just a money-go-round and that they won’t benefit.
“But the real sting will be in National’s proposed income tax changes. The winners will be the highest earners. The losers will be the vast majority of hard-working, struggling Kiwis who are on middle and low incomes.”
David Parker said the bus will have traveled all the way from Auckland to Dunedin, with most Labour MPs joining the campaign on various legs.
“They will touch base with community groups such as budgeting services, Grey Power, and Citizens’ Advice Bureaus to gauge the impact of the planned hike in GST.
“No one voted for an increase to GST. No one voted for paying more for milk, bread, rates, or school shoes. Kiwis have given no mandate for a GST hike. This bus campaign is about giving Kiwis a chance to have their say,” David Parker said.
