“Closing the Gap” Launches a Campaign for Progressive Taxes

June 3

The Income Inequality project, “Closing the Gap” has launched a series of short videos advocating a progressive tax system to create a more equal society in New Zealand.

“There is a huge amount of research that tells us that income inequality is bad for our country – it exacerbates many social ills, damages social cohesion and is not good for the economy,” says spokesperson Peter Malcolm.

“To tackle this inequality, we need a fairer, more comprehensive, progressive tax system.

“We also recognise that many social services, such as education, particularly at the tertiary level, and health, are not free. This burden is unfairly born by the poor; further escalating inequality, and reducing opportunities for them to improve,” Mr Malcolm says.

The campaign consists of a series of short videos to be used on Closing the Gap’s website, Facebook and Twitter pages, and also on YouTube. (They will be loaded onto YouTube at midday on Friday 3 June.) You will be able to view these videos on Youtube after midday on Friday by searching “Closing the Gap New Zealand”

The videos were produced by Otumoetai College, Tauranga, years 10, 11, 12 and 13 extra-curricular Media Production Group and Media Studies students.

Six of the seven videos feature actors representing people from New Zealand, Denmark and the USA discussing how different social and economic issues work in their countries.

Housing, Health, Education, Police/Justice/Crime, Infrastructure, and who really pays tax in NZ and who doesn’t, are featured, with the closing video addressing the campaign’s rationale.

Peter Malcolm says New Zealand gets what we pay for.
“More equal societies work better for everyone and to achieve it here we need a more progressive tax rate where costs are shared more appropriately.”

ENDS

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