Church group’s call: give up tax cuts

Press, 9 October 1982, Page 6

Church group’s call: give up tax cuts

A coalition of church groups is calling on people to give up their taxation cuts to the needv.

The ’ Auckland-based Church in Community Coalition said the tax cuts, which took effect this week, were inequitable.

Lower-income earners would receive little benefit and in some cases would have to pay more tax. About 40 per cent of wage earners and beneficiaries, aged 16 and over, would get nothing extra in their pay packets, said a coalition spokesman, the Rev. Dr Alan Brash.

That group included people whose needs of shelter, work, clothing, transport, and education were not being met.

"These are the people the coalition aims to help.” said Dr Brash, who is Auckland

regional secretary of the National Council of Churches. The council's Church and Society Commission is one of the groups backing the coalition. Others are the National Catholic Commission for Evangelisation, Justice and Development and the Ecumenical Secretariat on Development. The secretariat will administer the coalition's funds and distribution will be decided by representatives of the groups involved. Nine persons are working for the coalition and have issued pamphlets publicising its aims.

Dr Brash said the coalition sought to support groups trying to provide employment. Groups trying to start self-help projects needed loans, said a coalition mem-

ber. Mr Ewen Derrick. "Many schemes which quality ’ for Labour Department'or other Government funding on a reimbursement system have great difficulty getting an initial cash flow while they wait one or two months for Government approval — if it comes." Funds could be provided to tide groups over so that they got going. The coalition plans two forms of housing assistance: relief for those facing eviction because of high rents and assistance for the development of alternative housing stvles. The Wellington Housing Trust, which buys and restores inner-city houses for low. long-term rent. • was cited by the coalition as an example of a worthv group.