Labour Party MPs campaigning against a rise in GST will reach Manukau by bus on Sunday afternoon vowing to fight John Key’s unfair plans to lift the GST rate to 15 percent.

The electorates and people of Manurewa, Manukau East and Mangere are represented by Labour MPs namely George Hawkins, Ross Robertson and Su’a William Sio.

MP for Manurewa George Hawkins:

“For those who have borne the brunt of the recession, low and middle income earners, Prime Minister John Key’s economic plan will have a destructive impact on the lives of people in my constituency who are already struggling to make ends meet.

“This proposed rise in GST will only worsen family nightmares about how to pay the bills and feed a family sufficiently.

“Maybe others have a short memory about what this Government promised people in 2008. But it’s on record: National did not contest the 2008 election on a promise to lift GST.

“People didn’t vote this Government in so that they could increase GST.”

Labour Leader Phil Goff and Deputy Leader Annette King will be on the bus for much of the two weeks.

MP for Manukau East Ross Robertson:

“Phil feels passionately that the GST increase must be stopped. GST will add further hardship to many middle to low income Kiwis. Adding to the sting will be National’s proposed income tax changes. The real winners will be the highest earners. The losers will be the vast majority of hard-working, struggling Kiwis who are on middle and low incomes.”

MP for Mangere Su’a Wiliam Sio:

“No one voted for paying more for milk, bread, rates, or school shoes. Whether you realize it or not, people are being misled by the Government.

Just as we already do in our constituency work, on this tour, as a Labour team, we will, again, touch base with community groups such as budgeting services, Grey Power, and Citizens’ Advice Bureaus.

“Phil Goff and Annette King will be on this bus tour from the length and breadth of the country, along with the rest of us joining at different legs, to hear the voice of the people on the planned GST hike.

“Remember, this government did not get a mandate from the people to raise GST. So this is no small matter.

“Labour’s nationwide bus campaign is about giving Kiwis a chance to have their say,” Su’a William Sio said.

BACKGROUND NOTES

Labour’s two-week bus campaign begins on Sunday 28 February and ends on Friday 12 March 2010.

It will start from the Avondale Fleamarket at 10.30am and then make its way towards South Auckland & Manukau City.

It will stop at the following cities and provinces in the North and South Islands:

Auckland, Pukekohe, Ngaruawahia, Hamilton, Cambridge, Tirau, Putaruru, Tauranga, Whakatane, Opotiki, Rotorua, Tokoroa, Te Kuiti, New Plymouth, Stratford, Hawera, Wanganui, Bulls, Feilding, Palmerston North, Foxton, Shannon, Levin, Otaki, Waikanae, Paraparaumu, Wellington Central, Rongotai, Ohariu, Hutt South, Mana, Rimutaka, Picton, Nelson, Westport, Westport, Reefton, Hanmer Springs, Rangiora, Christchurch Central, Christchurch East, Waimakariri, Port Hills, Ilam and Wigram, Christchurch, Ashburton, Temuka, Timaru, Waimate, Oamaru, Dunedin North and Dunedin South.

Please note: this may be subject to change.

NORTH ISLAND

Sunday 28 February
Auckland, Pukekohe, Ngaruawahia

Monday 1 March
Hamilton, Cambridge, Tirau, Putaruru

Tuesday 2 March
Tauranga, Whakatane, Opotiki

Wednesday 3 March
Rotorua, Tokoroa, Te Kuiti

Thursday 4 March
New Plymouth, Stratford, Hawera

Friday 5 March
Wanganui, Bulls, Feilding

Saturday 6 March
Palmerston North, Foxton, Shannon, Levin, Otaki, Waikanae, Paraparaumu

Sunday 7 March
Wellington Central, Rongotai, Ohariu, Hutt South, Mana, Rimutaka

SOUTH ISLAND

Monday 8 March
Picton, Nelson, Westport

Tuesday 9 March
Westport, Reefton, Hanmer Springs, Rangiora

Wednesday 10 March
Christchurch Central, Christchurch East, Waimakariri, Port Hills, Ilam and Wigram

Thursday 11 March
Christchurch, Ashburton, Temuka, Timaru, Waimate, Oamaru

Friday 12 March
Dunedin North and Dunedin South