On Thu, 25 Jan 2024 05:57:52 -0000 (UTC), Tony
<
lizandtony@orcon.net.nz> wrote:
Rich80105 <Rich80105@hotmail.com> wrote:
On Thu, 25 Jan 2024 05:44:16 -0000 (UTC), Tony
<lizandtony@orcon.net.nz> wrote:
Rich80105 <Rich80105@hotmail.com> wrote:
See >>>>https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350157980/nz-first-mp-casey-costello-under-fire-over-cigarette-pricing-document-leak
and >>>>https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/507471/official-documents-suggest-a-nz-first-minister-wants-to-freeze-excise-tax-on-cigarettes-but-she-denies-it
and >>>>https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/call-luxon-replace-costello-over-cigarette-tax-freeze
While National MPs appear to be on holiday still, it seems ACT and NZ >>>>First MPS have been beavering away - perhaps that "laser focus on the >>>>cost of living" will start up soon.
Meantime, the smaller parties are showing the way . . . well, perhaps >>>>one way; it looks like there are better ways . . .
What a pathetic post - is that all you have? Thought so!
No, I have posted on a number of issues today, Tony. Do keep up . . .
I'm way ahead of you - too easy by far.
OK so your post in this thread was just garbage, well done for saying so.
Indeed. good thing you spotted garbage, Tony - it seems Casey Costello
has beavered away on keeping cigarette prices as low as possible to
keep sales up - that benefits Dairies and the tobacco companies (but
provides incentives for Ram Raids), but perhaps also commitments have
been made to donors to the NZ Taxpayer Union:
from the third url above:
https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/call-luxon-replace-costello-over-cigarette-tax-freeze
"Health Coalition Aotearoa is calling for Prime Minister Christopher
Luxon to replace Associate Minister for Health Casey Costello with
someone who can restore credibility to the portfolio following news
she is seeking to freeze excise tax on cigarettes for three years.
"Casey Costello has lost all credibility as an Associate Minister of
Health. Everything she has done to date is anti-health - in fact she
is acting more like a Minister for the Tobacco Industry," HCA co-chair Professor Boyd Swinburn said.
"The Prime Minister needs to take urgent action to restore credibility
to this portfolio."
RNZ’s Guyon Espiner revealed Costello proposed a three-year freeze on inflation-adjusted excise tax increases for smoked tobacco products
and plans to cut tax from smokeless tobacco products.
Costello denied she had made this request, despite clear evidence of
her proposal.
Espiner’s piece also highlighted NZ First’s strong links to the
tobacco industry.
Costello has had recent links to the Tobacco Industry in her work with
the Taxpayer’s Union - which media reported receives regular donations
from British American Tobacco.
She stepped down from her role as chair and board member of the
Taxpayer’s Union in July 2023, after several years with the
organisation.
Freezing excise tax without implementing a reduction in retailers, denicotisation (part of the 2022 Smokefree Amendment Act), and
increasing the capacity of quit services - all part of the Smokefree
2025 action plan - will ensure that smoking harm continues to disproportionately affect Maori.
HCA Smokefree Expert Advisory Group co-chair and recipient of the 2019
Tariana Turia Award for significant achievement in indigenous tobacco
control Sue Taylor (Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Kahungunu) said keeping the
price of cigarettes high was among the most effective and proven ways
to reduce smoking rates.
"As someone who has worked in tobacco control for over two decades the
annual tax increases have always driven smoking declines. Whanau say
to me all the time, I gave up smoking because it became too
expensive."
Taylor said the proposal to stop annual inflation increases on
cigarettes would help the Tobacco Industry and result in the loss of
more lives to smoking."
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