Withholding Tax:
Australian business refuses to fund war against Iraq
 

Laurel Lloyd-Jones
Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR)

Telephone:
Australia: (02) 6493 5511
International: +61 +2 6493 5511 [GMT +10 hours]

Email: bellbird@asitis.net.au
Web: http://www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org

MEDIA RELEASE from - RAR (Rural Australians for Refugees)

National Steering Group 21st FEBRUARY, 2003
 

BUSINESS REFUSES TO FUND WAR WITH IRAQ

At a recent meeting of the staff and partners of Candelo Bulk Wholefoods in Bega the decision was made not to fund this war if John Howard supports George W. Bush in attacking Iraq. They have decided to withhold ten percent of their PAYG tax in April when the next Business Activity Statement is due.

The tax to be withheld is the percentage of our tax that the government spends on defence.

Instead, they have indicated that they will donate this money to the Bega Valley Rural Australians for Refugees.

The Government has made no financial provision for the displaced people of Iraq who will become refugees, nor have they indicated any responsibility for re-construction of infra-structure, should a war go ahead.

The UN has compiled likely figures which would follow a (non-nuclear) second invasion of Iraq and estimates there would be 100,000 direct and 400,000 indirect victims of the attack, including more than 100,000 children under the age of five. There would be some 3.6 million people left homeless and 3 million in urgent need of food aid. About 950,000 would become refugees.

Candelo Bulk Wholefoods are encouraging other individuals and businesses to do the same.

In their statement they have indicated that they do not believe that war is the answer as the people of Iraq have suffered enough already. The US has more weapons of mass destruction than any other country and they should be disarmed as well. Iraq has not attacked Australia. We would like our government to be seriously committed to peace, and to work peacefully with all nations to achieve peace. They said, peace is not an absence of war, it requires courage, justice, tolerance, patience and creative positive action.

Rural Australians for Refugees is a national body representing the concerns of rural and regional Australia. This response from a rural business expresses just how concerned rural Australia is, along with the wider nation, about a possible war with Iraq.
 

Our RAR National Steering Group would ask that individuals and businesses choosing to withhold taxes to be used for this war, should contact us to keep us informed of this national action.

This information can be emailed to admin@ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org or by phoning us on 04 01 305 990.
 

end of report.

Laurel Lloyd-Jones
RAR National Steering Group
Telephone:
Australia: (02) 6493 5511
International: +61 +2 6493 5511 [GMT +10 hours]
Email: bellbird@asitis.net.au
Web: http://www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org

or

Jenny Spinks
of Candelo Bulk Wholefoods
34 Church Street, Bega NSW 2550 Australia
Telephone:
Australia: (02) 6492 5901
International: +61 +2 6492 5901 [GMT +10 hours]

Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR)
National (Australian) Register of individuals and businesses
choosing to withhold taxes to be used for this war:
Telephone:
Australia: 04 01 305 990
International: +61 +4 01 305 990 [GMT +10 hours]
Email: admin@ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org