Who said economic debate was dull?
A GetUp member suggested we have a little fun with the Business Council of Australia's bold new Action Plan for Enduring Prosperity announced earlier this week. The plan recommends everyday Australians harden up and pay more tax, so big business can pay less.
If you picked up yesterday's Australian, you're probably already in on the joke. A new CEO-loving lobby group, the 'Business Citizens of Australia', ran a full page ad supporting the real Business Council of Australia's bold new vision for Australia. Their blunt agenda seemed too confronting to be true. If only that was the case...
GetUp used the 'fake BCA' to satirise the serious (and scary) economic agenda of the Business Council, it created quite a buzz. The real BCA took the bait on Twitter, the Australian Financial Review reported GetUp riles business with spoof BCA and The Age's online political editor said we "made a guerilla raid of sorts overnight, into the breakfast reading of some of the country's most powerful chief executive officers".
Read the press coverage and check out the cheeky ad and website here.
The Business Council's vision for Australia is a scary wishlist designed to make life easier for big business by putting more pressure on working families. Already, tens of thousands of Australians have signed the petition on GetUp's website calling on Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott to rule out items on the BCA's wishlist.
The incredible thing is that we didn't have to exaggerate any of the proposals, which include:
- increasing the GST,
- new taxes on homeowners,
- reducing penalty rates,
- reviewing the 'high' minimum wage, and
- a return to WorkChoices.
We're calling on the major party leaders to tell us right now where they stand on these proposed reforms that would have a dramatic impact on the cost of living for every Australian.
You can join in the fun and stand against unfair tax reform by adding your name here:
Yours in good humour,
the GetUp team
PS. The CEO-loving Business Citizens of Australia (B.C.A) have an enterprising website you might enjoy too: www.thebca.com.au
