Removal of tobacco display legislation delayed

Labour’s Associate Health spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway has today announced his decision to delay the first reading of his Smokefree Environments (Removing Tobacco Displays) Amendment Bill.

"It has become clear this afternoon that the bill would be unlikely to pass first reading tomorrow and that a number of Members of Parliament are not yet ready to support the removal of point of sale tobacco advertising.

"Two reports relating to tobacco displays, from the Ministry of Health and the Maori Affairs Select Committee, will become available to Parliament in the next few weeks. I am confident that these reports will add positively to the weight of evidence in favour of removing tobacco displays as the next step in the fight to reduce tobacco related harm," Iain Lees-Galloway said.

"It is my hope that this additional information will encourage those MPs who are close to supporting my bill to get behind it and get alongside the vast majority of New Zealanders who support removing tobacco displays.

"I must admit to being a little disappointed that more MPs haven't yet been able to unequivocally support the bill. However, it has been 18 months since I first submitted the bill to the ballot when the Government rejected the recommendation of the Health Select Committee despite strong evidence in support of the move. I'm happy to wait a few more weeks if that will give MPs the time to look at the evidence available."

"I would like to thank the countless members of the public and community organisations who have worked so hard in the short period of time since the bill was drawn to encourage their local MPs to support it. They too have been working on this issue for a long time and I encourage them to keep the good work going,” Iain Lees-Galloway said.

"I believe we are very close to the end of tobacco displays. It is only a matter of time. Hopefully Parliament will soon acknowledge that time has come."

ENDS

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