By REBECCA BILLS
BELGRAVE Heights brother and sister duo Simeon and Taminka Hanscamp joined hundreds of passionate campaigners in Canberra last month to advocate for the global poor.
More than 200 campaigners from across Australia met at Parliament House from 21 to 24 June to shine a light on global tax dodging and meet with Members and Senators to urge them to take strong action against corporate tax dodging.
Ms Hanscamp, a global studies and law student, said the Voices for Justice lobbying event co-ordinated by the Micah Challenge anti-poverty campaign spoke about how global tax dodging was draining developing countries of billions of dollars each year.
She said with financial secrecy and tax dodging on the agenda for discussion at the November G20’s summit in Brisbane, it makes the subject even more poignant.
Mr Hanscamp said while multinational tax dodging and corruption impacted all nations, developing countries suffered the most.
“Highly conservative estimates show that poor nations lose more than $160 billion each year through corporate tax dodging, which is more money than they receive annually in foreign aid,” he said.
“This is money which rightfully belongs to the citizens of these countries and should be being used to provide essential services like healthcare, education, infrastructure and water.
“I went to Canberra because I want our leaders to know that Australians care about justice for the world’s poor.”
Member for LaTrobe Jason Wood met with the Hanscamp’s at the event and said it was great to meet young people who were so passionate and committed to helping others.
“I think this is a very important issue,” he said.
“Australia has the opportunity through the G20 Summit in November to push for multinational corporations to pay their fair share of tax to the developing nations they are based in and use the resources of.
“As Taminka and Simeon pointed out, it’s also a problem of these nations who are being taken advantage of not necessarily having the resources to prosecute against these multinationals owing taxes in the first place.”
Mr Wood said tax dodging by multinationals definitely affected Australia in Foreign Aid spending.
“Often because these multinationals are behaving irresponsibly or dodging taxes that would have gone to improving the nation where they operate,” he said.
“Australia will have to step in and foot the bill where they need financial aid.”
Ms Hanscamp said it was a refreshing experience to see politicians, like Mr Wood, caring about not just the local community but the global community.
