ORGANISERS of the public petition demanding the removal of GST on food that’s quickly gathering momentum vow to campaign the issue until the end of year general election.
The Times was the first New Zealand newspaper to carry the story of the push to remove the 12.5 per cent Good and Services Tax (GST) on food, called for by grass roots political group RAM (Residents Action Movement) (Times, April 21).
Over the past week, other national and local news agencies have picked up and expanded on the subject, including the NZ Herald running it as its front page lead on Monday April 28.
RAM chairman and Manukau resident Grant Morgan says the petition has collected “well over” 3000 signatures in three weeks in the Auckland region.
He believes the numbers are growing steadily by the day, as RAM has signature gatherers now operating across the country.
“RAM will carry on collecting signatures until the election campaign, when our petition will be presented to all parties represented in parliament,” says Mr Morgan.
He also dismisses the responses of the Labour, National, Green and Act parties that claim removing GST on food is too complicated, populist and simplistic.
“Over the GST on food issue, we see a grand coalition of Labour, National, Act and Green politicians going to war against the wishes of people struggling to pay the bills.
“That’s why people are saying that ‘the politicians won’t listen to us’. We hear this over and over again at RAM stalls carrying the GST off food petition.
“It’s a central reason why many hundreds are joining RAM, in addition to signing the petition.”
Mr Morgan says RAM is broadening its attention to include national social and political matters, as it has until recently been a regionally focused group. It plans to run candidates in electorates across the country in the general election.
“Most people are so sick of not being listened to that they have contempt for politicians,” says Mr Morgan.
“Over the last few weeks, 1200 of those people have become RAM members because we’re seen as grass roots campaigners doing a good job around the GST off food petition.
“This issue will not go away despite the politicians hoping otherwise. The people are hurting. They’re upset that the politicians won’t listen. They’re going to make their voice heard. You can bet on it.”
• For more information on RAM’s GST off food petition, write to: RAM, PO Box 13-157 Auckland; refer to www.ram-auckland.net; or email: grantmorgan@paradise.net.nz.
