Tobacco control researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, Pōneke strongly support the ‘Tobacco Transparency Bill’, launched by Opposition Spokesperson on Health, Dr Ayesha Verrall today.
Co-director of the ASPIRE Aotearoa Research Centre Professor Janet Hoek says the Bill is long overdue.
“We need measures that will stop tobacco companies’ ability to influence policy, plus we need to promote much higher standards of disclosure and transparency.”
Professor Hoek says the Bill would stop the Government from supporting, endorsing or advocating for the tobacco industry’s interests, and promote stronger compliance with Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which calls on parties to protect ‘policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry’.
Under the Bill, the Prime Minister would have to issue policies requiring Ministers to declare any interests they have in tobacco companies; the Minister of Health would provide guidance for public officials explaining the potential for tobacco industry influence; and the Public Service Commissioner would set standards for officials involved in developing tobacco control policies.
Professor Hoek says ASPIRE’s work over the last 18 months has raised important questions about the tobacco industry’s influence on politicians and health policy.
“Our analyses have highlighted a move away from evidence-based decisions; this Bill promotes a return to policy underpinned by science, which plays a pivotal role in improving population health.”
Professor Janet Hoek
ASPIRE Aotearoa also welcomes the Bill’s proposal to increase information tobacco companies need to provide about their promotional and lobbying expenditure.
“The World Health Organization described tobacco industry influence as a major obstacle to effective policy. We know tobacco companies fund lobby groups and ‘think tanks’; this Bill will help us understand the lobbying chain used to disrupt health policy.
“The lack of transparency surrounding recent decisions threatens Te Tiriti obligations. The Bill responds to those obligations by protecting policy that will safeguard Māori health from tobacco companies’ influence.”
The Bill will also prevent people with interests in the tobacco industry from working on tobacco policy; further it will limit officials’ ability to move directly from Government roles to positions in tobacco companies.
Professor Hoek comments: “The repeal of measures that would have seen New Zealand realise the Smokefree 2025 goal appalled the public health community. This Bill will protect policies that promote wellbeing and equity, and that will benefit all New Zealanders.”
Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, Pōneke
Research and study health sciences and medicine through our Wellington campus. We teach medicine, radiation therapy, physiotherapy, postgraduate qualifications and papers, and undertake a wide variety of health-based research.
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