Is It Time To Tax Unhealthy Food?

MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday 26 March, 2013

TOMORROW ON TV3’S ‘THE VOTE’:
IS IT TIME TO TAX UNHEALTHY FOOD?

New Zealand has a weight issue. The OECD and World Health Organisation say we're one of the most obese countries in the developed world and the cost of dealing with related illnesses is rising. Should we tax the unhealthy foods that are making us fat thus removing temptation or do we let people decide for themselves and focus on education?

The premiere episode of new national debate programme The Vote (8.30pm, tomorrow night on TV3), will ask Kiwis if they think it’s time to tax unhealthy food. The format sees 3rd Degree hosts Duncan Garner and Guyon Espiner each lead a team to debate the topic ‘It’s time to tax unhealthy food’ with a coin toss determining who leads the ‘For’ and ‘Against’ teams. Broadcaster and lawyer, Linda Clark is the referee.

The opinion that matters most is that of the audience watching at home, who are encouraged to vote for free at www.TheVote.co.nz, via Twitter @TheVoteNZ and Facebook at The Vote NZ. Viewers can also vote by texting ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to 3920 at a cost of 20 cents per text.

This week’s teams are:

FOR – Leader to be determined by coin toss
• Dr Robyn Toomath of Fight the Obesity Epidemic
• Geoff Simmons of the Gareth Morgan Foundation

AGAINST - Leader to be determined by coin toss
• Lindsay Mouat Chairman of the Food Industry Group
• Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett

The Vote is produced by TV3’s News and Current Affairs division with funding from NZ On Air, and screens once every four weeks in the same timeslot as 3rd Degree.

ENDS

3rd Degree presents ‘The Vote’.
IT’S TIME TO TAX UNHEALTHY FOOD
Wednesday 27 March, 8.30pm on TV3.

Website: www.TheVote.co.nz
Twitter: twitter.com/TheVoteNZ
Facebook: facebook.com/TheVoteNZ

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