Jones Dail: Smoke-free Environments Amendment Bill — Procedure Referral to Health Committee Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee 
Jones Dail: Smoke-free Environments Amendment Bill — Procedure Referral to Health Committee Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee 
[Volume:610;Page:7953] 
DAIL JONES (NZ First) 
: 
 When I last spoke I put some statistical information before the Committee and I made some comments about the zealot group in New Zealand Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). Those people were zealots when I was here in Parliament before in 1982-3 and I am staggered to see that they are still getting stronger. 
Hon David Carter 
: Because the Government finances them. 
DAIL JONES 
: So ASH is a Government body and we have the Government members all supporting this legislation. I want to quote from one of the newspapers that uses some of ASH’s research and compares it with other research. I will quote totally from this journal which states: “Here is some new info in the controversial debate about the perils of second-hand smoke. ASH’s research shows the relative risk of developing lung cancer from second-hand smoke is 1.24 and heart disease is 1.3 for second-hand smoke at home and 1.21 for second-hand smoke at work.” 
I will not go into any further details on that but that is apparently what ASH says. The article went on to state: “Here are some figures that ASH is not likely to tell you about gleaned from the  
International Journal of Cancer 
 the  
International Journal of Epidemiology 
 the  
Pharmaceutical Journal 
 and  
The Lancet. 
” Now we know that it is about 1.3 percent for second-hand smoke at home and 1.21 for second-hand smoke at work. The article continues: “The relative risk for the following factors causing lung cancer: dairy products 2.85”—that is twice the rate for second-hand smoke—“custard 1.7”. Custard is more dangerous than second-hand smoke. It then states: “Fried meat 1.54 manual work compared to non-manual work 1.4”. By that sort of logic Labour Party members should give up manual work because it is bad for them. 
Hon David Carter 
: They have. 
DAIL JONES 
: Well yes they have. The article continues on: “Drinking milk 1.73”—that is about 40 percent more than second-hand smoke. We are going to put milk in schools—we are going to give our kids free milk in schools—and it is worse than second-hand smoke. 
I assure members that the next statistic is the most serious one of the lot and I am terribly concerned about it myself. It states: “The relative risk for the following factors causing heart disease—baldness 1.23”. I am an asthmatic as well so I am on the way out—I am gone. Baldness is worse than second-hand smoke. 
Hon David Carter 
: You should come over to the gym. 
DAIL JONES 
: I do go to the gym; maybe that is what keeps me going. Now I like biscuits and I often have more than one biscuit a day but eating one biscuit a day has a 1.49 percent risk of causing heart disease. That is more than passive second-hand smoke—eating one biscuit. If one eats two biscuits or three biscuits one is gone according to ASH. 
Those are the statistics. That is the information from the  
International Journal of Cancer 
 the  
International Journal of Epidemiology 
 the  
Pharmaceutical Journal 
 and  
The Lancet. 
 One cannot be better informed than that; those are world-respected journals. I look across to the other side of the Chamber and I know some of the Government members will be affected by this next statistic: snoring has an 1.8 percent risk. That is well in excess of second-hand smoke. For bus driving in heavy traffic the figure is 1.6 percent. For some members—and I look at Craig McNair here although he is going to remedy this—never being married presents a 2.9 percent risk. It is just as well that Craig McNair is getting married; otherwise he would be in big trouble. Members can imagine that if they were snoring bald single bus drivers who were biscuit eaters they would be out of here. We would just have to give them a box and they would be gone. 
Hon David Carter 
: Is this your valedictory? 
DAIL JONES 
: Some members are suggesting this is my valedictory but it just goes to show how ridiculous some of the statistics really are. Here we are being made to pass legislation that talks about a 1.3 percent risk from second-hand smoke at home and a 1.21 percent risk from second-hand smoke at work. But drinking the beer that is served in the bars is probably more of a risk than the second-hand smoke that people are supposed to be worrying about. The bartenders who are handing the beers across the bar are doing more damage to people than any damage to them from second-hand smoke. 
Hon David Carter 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. I think we have had a very significant debate on the title and I am aware that the Government is about to move a closure motion. I just want to receive clarification as to how you will treat the rest of the debate. As far as the title is concerned we have certainly had more than a fair share of time. But I just want an assurance from you as we now move to the body of the legislation that there will be plenty of opportunity to actually get into the parts and that you do not propose to curtail that part of the debate. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: I take the point that you have made.