18 May 2011
Robin Hood has been sighted in the vicinity of New Zealand’s parliament buildings. “We expect he’s going to join the union rally protesting the National government’s Budget cuts,” says Vaughan Gunson, Tax Justice campaign coordinator.
The union organised Don’t Cut Our Future rally commences at 12.15pm tomorrow, Thursday 19 May, outside Parliament.
“Robin Hood has long been a symbol of grassroots justice, of the struggle against corruption and unequal wealth and power,” says Gunson. “Which is why the international campaign for a Financial Transaction Tax which targets banks, speculators and the super-rich is being branded the Robin Hood Tax.”
“The Robin Hood Tax campaign originated after the global financial crisis, which saw banks and other financial institutions worldwide bailed out with public money,” says Gunson. “The obscene levels of these bail-outs has disgusted grassroots people around the world, including New Zealanders.”
“There’s a growing global movement demanding that the banks and other financial institutions be made to foot the bill for the financial crisis, and not grassroots people through cuts to public spending,” says Gunson.
In March this year, MPs in the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of a Financial Transaction Tax to be introduced across Europe. The Finnish government is in full support.
Jyrki Katainen, Finland's Finance and Deputy Prime Minister, has said “Finland will push for a global financial transaction tax.” But if there’s no international agreement “Finland is ready to have a domestic one, ” Katainen said. (See http://robinhoodtax.org/latest/finland-introduce-robin-hood-tax)
“Given the pressures on our government’s Budget, which National is using to justify cuts to public spending, then it’s imperative that we look seriously at how a Financial Transaction Tax could work in New Zealand,” says Gunson.
Another band of Robin Hoods will be outside the TVNZ studios on Victoria Street West in Auckland on Thursday 19 May between 12noon and 3pm. They’ll be collecting signatures for the Tax Justice petition which calls on parliament to remove GST from food and tax financial speculation instead.
For comment, contact:
Vaughan Gunson
Tax Justice campaign coordinator
(09)433 8897
021-0415 082
svpl@xtra.co.nz
Grant Brookes
Tax Justice spokesperson, Wellington
021-0532 973
3 comments:
Hang on guys, this is by no means all negative.
The photographer gets points for two nice arty shots.
Ditto the costume department.
Grant B gets a consolation prize for putting up a brave hand to play the staring sacrificial goat role in SW's ultimate toe curling populist stunt yet. From paper tigers to plastic arrows.
Nothing else has changed, but let's not go there, in some little worlds political analysis is the new code word for sectarian.
its a free country, back to the middles ages if thats what turns you on
You smart arse armchair critics are so boring.
Look , if John Key looks out his window to see Grant Brookes outside resplendent in his lincoln green with his bow and arrows John may say to himself - Hmmmmmmm.
These grass roots folk have a valid point.
I realise I have been going down the wrong track altogeter, from now on I will tax the rich.
Good on ya Socialist Worker
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