The Taxpayer’s Union after a tip-off and an official information request, have revealed that the taxpayer has been unknowingly funding Beneficiary protestors at Ihumatao through grant money paid to ActionStation, a left-wing campaign group with close connections to Labour and the Greens.
ActionStation are as political as it gets. They describe themselves as a “campaign organisation” with “a focus on shifting public opinion and driving the media agenda in order to influence political decisions”. Their vision statement advocates for, among many things, a universal basic income, collective bargaining, new taxes, and increased taxpayer funding for political parties.
The organisation was founded by former Green Party staffers and help out Labour and the Greens during elections. They are even giving fuel vouchers to Ihumatao protestors and financially supporting beneficiaries to move into the
campsite !
On Saturday the BFD revealed that the group has been receiving taxpayer money to tell New Zealanders how to have “better, safer and more productive conversations online around Maori, refugees, NZ history and Tiriti”.
ActionStation received the grant money even though Netsafe on its website claims that it does not fund political organisations.
The ActionStation grant is bad, but it’s not completely unique. Groups like Oxfam and Amnesty International also take government grants, propping up their bottom lines so they can continue operations that include political lobbying.
Taxpayer’s Union