Independent MP Hone Harawira has launched his own political party over the weekend, styling himself as a New Zealand Robin Hood, with a slew of promises for new tax measures to help the poor of the country.

On April 30th Hone Harawira launched his own political party, called the Mana Party. As a headline policy the party will push for New Zealand to instate a tax on all financial transactions, a system that is often referred to overseas as a Robin Hood tax. The MP claims that the money raised by such a tax would allow GST to be abolished completely, and for greater funds to be raised towards social welfare projects targeted at low income earning families. Some of the raised funds would also be used to nationalize New Zealand’s electricity and water infrastructure, in order to guarantee continued affordable services to all taxpayers. It is planned for such a tax to be labeled as the Hone Heke tax.

Describing his party’s general political standing, Hone Harawira said that it would be “anti-neoliberal, against monopoly capitalism, and against privatization of the people’s assets”. He went onto explain that it will be “pro-worker”, and would target its tax policies towards the rich in order to benefit those on lower incomes. As an example, Harawira suggested that New Zealand could see a capital gains tax, death duties and a tax on assets.

Hone Harawira stated that he plans to resign from parliament in the near future, to force a by-election of his northern Te Tai Tokeray electorate.



Photo by 4nitsirk