It's time to stop Big Tobacco's lobbying

National has let smoking rates rise and put our Smokefree goal at risk.

We should be doing everything we can to hit that goal—save lives, protect whānau and keep people out of hospital.

Labour's Smokefree legislation would have saved thousands of lives and over $5.25 billion dollars to the system in healthcare costs. It would have reduced the availability of tobacco and stopped a new generation from ever taking up smoking in the first place.

By scrapping these changes, the Coalition Government put big tobacco’s profit over the health of New Zealanders. Smoking rates have risen for the first time in over a decade. We need to do everything we can to protect people's health and meet our Smokefree goal.

• It prohibits the Government from supporting, endorsing, or advocating for the interests of the tobacco industry.
• The Tobacco Transparency Bill would help to protect people’s health by meeting the obligations we’ve signed up to under the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (Article 5.3), which states:
  • "In setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties shall act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with national law."

• WHO’s guidelines on Article 5.3 contain many recommendations that are yet to be implemented and are addressed by the Bill:
• The Ministry of Health could create formal policies and procedures detailing the approach to applying Article 5.3.
• We do not have an all-of-Government approach to education about the tobacco industry and the need to protect public health policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry.
• Lack of a code of conduct for public officials around dealing with the tobacco industry.
• There's currently no prohibition on awarding contracts to the tobacco industry for work on health policies.
• Nor is there a requirement on officials to declare current or previous work for the tobacco industry.
• There are no effective measures to prevent donations from the tobacco industry to political parties or campaigns or to require full disclosure of those donations.
• There are no measures to ensure that the activities of the tobacco industry are transparent, including those of affiliated organisations.

• Requires the Prime Minister to issue policies for Ministers to publicly declare interests in the tobacco industry, and that ministers face a ‘cooldown period’ where they cannot engage with the tobacco industry after leaving office.
• Requires the Minister of Health to issue guidance to public officials on the harmful nature of tobacco and the potential for tobacco industry influence.
• Prohibits public officials from accepting direct or indirect benefits from the tobacco industry.
• Requires the Public Service Commissioner to set standards for officials involved in setting tobacco control policies, including engagements with tobacco industry participants. This includes declaration of interests, management of conflict of interests and declaration of current or previous engagement.
• Introduces a ‘revolving door’ prohibition, whereby a mandatory provision is introduced to officials’ employment agreements prohibiting employment in the tobacco industry for up to six months after leaving government. State services officials would also be required to disclose their intention to engage in an occupational activity with a tobacco industry participant within five years of leaving employment.
• Prohibits anyone with past or current interests in the tobacco industry from obtaining a contract to work on tobacco control policies.
• Prohibits interaction between government and tobacco industry participants, except for the regulation of tobacco industry participants and products.
• Requires tobacco industry participants to submit financial reports and disclose certain promotional and lobbying activities each year.

• Dr Ayesha Verrall will seek support from MPs to have the Bill bypass the ballot. This requires the support of all opposition and six Government back-bench MPs.
• If the bill either bypasses the ballot, or is drawn out, and then passes its first reading, there will be select committee hearings where the public will have a chance to share their views.
• We’re calling on all MPs to support the Bill. It would help to build trust in Government and make sure our health is always put ahead of tobacco company profits.
• Write to your local MP and ask them to support the Bill and share why you think it's a good idea.