Kedgley Sue: Smoke-free Environments Amendment Bill — Referral to Health Committee Procedure In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Kedgley Sue: Smoke-free Environments Amendment Bill — Referral to Health Committee Procedure In Committee 
[Sitting date: 15 October 2003. Volume:612;Page:9228. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
SUE KEDGLEY (Green) 
: 
 We have a lot of MPs in this Parliament who sound like King Canute trying to stem the turning tide. I might say that every effort is being made to filibuster and delay this bill. Every little trick in the book is being used. I want members to know that as per usual the parties that are trying to filibuster and delay this bill are completely out of touch with public opinion. The overwhelming majority of New Zealanders are counting the days until this bill is passed. Frankly they are frustrated by the petty politicking that is taking place in this Chamber and the efforts to delay and filibuster the passage of this bill. 
We have heard a lot about Action on Smoking and Health and the horrors of that organisation and its lobbying. I want to talk about another form of lobbying which I regard as equally horrifying and that is the lobbying by the tobacco industry in New Zealand. We have this document that we actually know quite a lot about. George Thomson and Dr Nick Wilson analysed documents and produced a very very exhaustive report and I hope all members have read it— 
The Tobacco Industry in New Zealand: A Case Study of the Behaviour of Multinational Corporations.  
It reveals that the tobacco industry used every single trick in the book over the last number of decades to oppose every form of tobacco control to try to influence the political process. It has tried to conceal evidence of the harm of cigarettes even when it has had absolutely unequivocal knowledge of the harmful and addictive nature of cigarettes. It has tried to conceal the evidence of harm. It has objected to health warnings. It has misled the public about the very real issues involved in second-hand smoke and so on and so forth. 
Quite frankly I would like to see a State Services Commission report investigating this particular report. I would like to see the State Services Commission investigating the potential corruption of the tobacco industry in seeking to influence the political parties in this Parliament in seeking to undermine every effort to restrict the tobacco industry in New Zealand. Perhaps that is why we have a member of British American Tobacco here listening to the debate tonight and a public relations representative from Philip Morris. No doubt they are absolutely enchanted by the arguments that some members of this Parliament are putting up tonight—the discredited arguments from the tobacco industry. 
We do need to get a balance here. On the one hand we have a group that is lobbying to try to restrict the amount of tobacco that is sold in New Zealand and on the other hand we have a whole industry that is trying to influence the decisions of members of this Parliament and trying to sell as much as they possibly can of their product which they know is addictive and harmful. If we had full disclosure of all political party contributions then I think we could have a very very interesting investigation of potential corruption in this regard. But unfortunately we do not have full disclosure so we will never know what— 
R Doug Woolerton 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. The last time I looked at Speakers’ rulings it was not the done thing to accuse anybody or any party in this Chamber of corruption. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: That is right. Members cannot accuse any party in the Chamber of corruption. There is a Speaker’s ruling on it. 
SUE KEDGLEY 
: I am very well aware of that. I was making a debating point about my concern. I did not accuse any individual party or MP in this Chamber. 
Peter Brown 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. It is unacceptable to make a general statement and condemn everybody as guilty when she has no evidence whatsoever. We are sick of the Greens. When Nandor Tanczos first came to this House he said we were drunk under the influence and he would not name anybody. That is an appalling tactic and New Zealand First demands that she withdraws and apologises. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Can I just say to the honourable member concerned that under Speaker’s ruling 23/4 it is not proper to make veiled threats of corruption. It is out of order. The member will withdraw. 
SUE KEDGLEY 
: I will withdraw and apologise but—