Green Left Weekly $250,000 Fighting Fund: Talking about serious money ...
Peter Boyle
"The Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, says the late businessman Kerry Packer deserves the tax-payer funded state memorial service being held at the Sydney Opera House today.
"Mr Costello has also criticised a group calling themselves the 'Packer Dismemorial Collective' which has protested outside the service, calling them misguided.
"Mr Costello says he has no reservations about the service being held in Mr Packer's honour.
"'I think Kerry Packer was a very significant Australian in his contribution in media, in business, in a whole range of areas in public life', he said."
- ABC report, February 17, 2006.
Australia's richest man until his death on December 26, Kerry Packer had an estimated personal wealth of $7 billion. He left the bulk of his media and gambling empire to his son, James Packer.
Packer paid no income tax for the years 1989-93 and has had running disputes with the tax office since.
"Of course I am minimising my tax", Packer told frightened politicians (including now treasurer and friend Peter Costello) in 1991 at the cross-media inquiry. "And if anybody in this country doesn't minimise their tax, they want their heads read."
And when Packer dies he gets a state funeral. That's the rich and powerful for you!
Meanwhile Green Left Weekly is trying to raise a mere $250,000 for its 2006 Fighting Fund - a microscopic fraction of the taxes that Packer didn't pay. Every cent goes to fighting against the rule of big money.
We have made some progress over the last couple of weeks. A total of $22,339 has come in, but we have a way to go over the next 10 and a half months.
All around the country, Green Left Weekly supporters are beginning to organise a new round of fundraising events. A list of such events is in the calendar at the end of this paper. I urge all readers to support these events.
But we are also looking for donations - either one-off or regular ones. Please send your donation to PO Box 515, Broadway NSW 2007, or phone it through on the toll-free line 1800 634 206 (calls from within Australia only), or donate online at From Green Left Weekly, February 22, 2006.
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