People's Procession nears mid-way point

RAM - Residents Action Movement

Media release 25 September 2008

People's Procession nears mid-way point

The People's Procession to Parliament is now approaching the mid-way point of its two-week tour of North Island centres collecting signatures for a GST-off-food petition.

Several thousand petition signatures have been collected in Northland and northern and western suburbs of Auckland since the People's Procession kicked off in Kaitaia on 20 September.

The GST-off-food petition was initiated some months ago by the Residents Action Movement (RAM). To date, around 20,000 Kiwis have signed.

Tomorrow (Friday 26 September) the People's Procession will be staging a public signing of the petition in front of Aotea Square in central Auckland, starting at 12 noon.

"Everywhere we have gone with the People's Procession, the grassroots have been enthusiastic supporters of our GST-off-food petition," said Grant Morgan, chair of RAM and national organiser of the procession.

"In Whangarei, many hundreds of citizens turned out to sign the petition in a show of support for RAM's stand against the right-wing mayor's bid to ban us from the city centre. This heartening display of People Power meant we won an important battle for democracy."

"From the word go, RAM has been telling petition signatories that we are standing in the election to promote GST off food and other common sense policies of benefit to the grassroots. Most people are very supportive of our stand on the side of low-to-middle income earners who face growing money worries and are being treated as invisible by the LabNat politicians," said Mr Morgan.

The petition will be handed over to Maori Party MPs on the steps of Parliament at 12 noon on Friday 3 October. The Maori Party is the only one in the current parliament supporting the removal of GST from food.

"If the government elected on 8 November turns its back on the huge majority of Kiwis wanting GST removed from food, then RAM will ask other organisations to unite around a Citizens Initiated Referendum petition on the issue," said Mr Morgan.

"A broad coalition is needed to gain the 300,000 signatures required to trigger a national referendum on whether or not to retain GST on food."

"Going by the overwhelmingly positive reactions to RAM's current petition, I have no doubt that such a referendum would show a massive vote for GST to be lifted from food," said Mr Morgan.

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

For more information, contact:

Grant Morgan

Chair of RAM - Residents Action Movement
& national organiser of People's Procession to Parliament

021 2544 515
grantmorgan@paradise.net.nz
www.ram.org.nz
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Remaining stopovers of People's Procession

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

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

HAMILTON
12 noon Sun 28 Sept at Garden Place, Victoria St.

TOKOROA
3pm Sun 28 Sept at St Marks Community House, Bridge St.

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.

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

HANDOVER OF PETITION
12 noon Friday 3 Oct on the steps of Parliament.

ends