Media Statement

For immediate release

10 February 2004

Copeland: Tax reward for volunteers

United Future spokesperson on the charitable and voluntary sector Gordon Copeland today urged the Government to give a tax rebate to volunteers.

“The contribution which volunteers make to NZ society cannot be overestimated and must not be taken for granted.

“It is time for Government to provide some practical encouragement. A tax rebate for those contributing their time and energy each week could make an enormous difference.

“It could also save the taxpayer millions of dollars. I hate to think how much worse off we would all be without the thousands of volunteers who assist our families and communities.

“If volunteers weren’t there and Government was forced to fill the gap it would cost mega-bucks for vastly inferior outcomes,” said Mr Copeland.

Ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>