GST – Don't raise it, take it off food!

Media release RAM – Residents Action Movement 20 August, 2009

RAM – Residents Action Movement is offering full support to a private member's bill from Maori Party MP Rahui Katene. The bill, announced yesterday, aims to remove GST from food.

Last year RAM initiated a People's Procession to Parliament, delivering a petition to remove GST from all our food. The petition, signed by more than 25,000 people, is now before Parliament's Finance and Expenditure Select Committee.

"This private member's bill is needed now more than ever", said RAM chair Grant Brookes. "Grassroots people are feeling the pinch of the recession. Food prices are increasing twice as fast as last year, according to the Otago University Nutrition Department.

"Getting GST off food is a simple step the government could take right now to help families struggling to pay the bills. But instead, finance minister Bill English is showing National's real agenda as a party of the market by considering proposals to increase GST, to 15 or 20 percent.

"Although opinion polls showed more than three quarters of people wanted GST off food, the Maori Party was the only party in parliament to support our petition last year.

"Will the Greens and Labour now honour their claims to be standing up for ordinary Kiwis and back Rahui Katene's private member's bill?"

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