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 00
+61 +4 01 305 990 [GMT +10 hours].


end of report.


Further information can be obtained from the writer:


Laurel Lloyd-Jones Ph 00 +61 +2 6493 5511 [GMT +10 hours]

RAR National Steering Group

 bellbird@asitis.net.au

or

Jenny Spinks,

of Candelo Bulk Wholefoods,

34 Church Street, Bega NSW 2550 Australia

Ph 00 +61 +2 6492 5901 [GMT +10 hours]