Anti-GST protesters confront Costello

Anti-GST protesters confront Costello

BY DANI BARLEY

SYDNEY — "Tax the rich, not the rest, no GST", protesters cried as they confronted the federal treasurer, Peter Costello, speaking at a business forum on the tax organised by the Daily Telegraph newspaper in Parramatta here on May 22.

Sixty people, including members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, students from the University of Western Sydney, the Worker Communist Party of Iraq, International Federation of Iraqi Refugees, joined the protest organisers from the western Sydney branches of the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) and Resistance.

Many of the protesters wore chains, an ironic reference to the government's blanket advertising for the GST. "The government's ads say that the GST will break the chains, but the reality is that the GST will be the biggest chain of all", the DSP's Paul Benedek said. "This is a tax on the poor, the unemployed, working people, pensioners and students — no matter how badly off you are, you will pay the GST."

Local Liberal MP Ross Cameron came outside to face the protesters but, in response to demands to answer questions, merely looked smug.

Given the effect of government economic policy, including the GST, on health care, the protest organisers described as the "ultimate hypocrisy" the Telegraph's announcement that it would give money raised at the dinner to the New Westmead Children's Hospital.

From GLW issue 407