GST-off-food petition going on People's Procession

RAM - Residents Action Movement
Media release 9 September 2008

GST-off-food petition going on People's Procession to Parliament

A GST-off-food petition was launched some months ago by the Residents Action Movement, better known as RAM. To date, it has attracted 20,000 signatures.

A People's Procession to Parliament will take the petition to North Island centres in a two-week journey starting in Kaitaia on Saturday 20 September.

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira will help RAM kick off the People's Procession in Kaitaia.

Branches of Grey Power are supporting the GST-off-food petition and the People's Procession.

At each stopover there will be a mass signing of the petition, usually accompanied by public speeches from community representatives and members of RAM

At noon on Friday 3 October, on the steps of Parliament, the People's Procession will hand the petition over to Maori Party MPs.

"It is fitting that the petition be handed to Maori Party MPs since they're the only ones in the current parliament who want to remove GST from food," said Grant Morgan, RAM's national organiser of the People's Procession.

"RAM believes that removing the unfair 12.5% tax from food is an important survival and justice issue for most people. It's great to see Grey Power, Maori Party, church ministers, unionists and community leaders working together alongside RAM to deliver the tax cut of most benefit to the grassroots."

A Research New Zealand poll conducted in June 2008 found that "80% of Kiwis think the government should consider lowering tax on food".

"The People's Procession aims to make GST on food into the big election issue that it should rightfully be, with poll results revealing that 80% of Kiwis oppose the present tax," said Mr Morgan.

ITINERARY
The itinerary of the People's Procession appears below.

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People's Procession main stopovers

KAITAIA
9am Sat 20 Sept @ Kaitaia Markets, The Warehouse carpark, Mathews Av.

KERIKERI
2pm Sat 20 Sept near corner of Kerikeri Rd & Cobham Rd.

KAIKOHE
11am Sun 21 Sept near New World supermarket, Marion Pl, next to Hau Ora O Kaikohe offices.

WHANGAREI
12 noon Tues 23 Sept in Cameron St Mall, Whangarei city centre.

NORTH SHORE
12 noon Wed 24 Sept outside Information Centre on Hurstmere Av, Takapuna shopping centre.

WAITAKERE
12 noon Thurs 25 Sept outside New Lynn library on Memorial Dve, behind Lynn Mall & off Great North Rd.

AUCKLAND
12 noon Fri 26 Sept in front of Aotea Square, Queen St, central city.

MANUKAU
9.30am Sat 27 Sept inside the Mall, Mangere Town Centre, off Bader Dve.

HAMILTON
11.30am Sun 28 Sept at Garden Place, Victoria St.

TOKOROA
3pm Sun 28 Sept at park alongside shopping centre.

TAURANGA
12 noon Sun 28 Sept at Fraser Cove, next to The Warehouse.

ROTORUA
12 noon Mon 29 Sept at City Focus, central city.

PORIRUA
11am Tues 30 Sept under the canopy at the shopping hub.

UPPER HUTT
12 noon Wed 1 Oct outside ANZ Bank, Main St.

LOWER HUTT
12 noon Thurs 2 Oct outside Westfield Queensgate Mall, Bunny St entrance.

WELLINGTON
12 noon Thursday 2 Oct , corner of Cuba and Manners Malls.

HANDOVER OF PETITION TO MAORI PARTY MPs
12 noon Friday 3 Oct on the steps of Parliament.

ENDS