Ngarewa-Packer DebbieDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori): Kia ora. Tēnā tātou e te Whare. I rise on behalf of Te Paati Māori to speak to the first reading of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill. We will be supporting this bill and acknowledge the Government for progressing the work of Te Paati Māori to end tobacco harm in Aotearoa.The Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan is a continuation of the vision spearheaded by Te Paati Māori MP Hone Harawira and co-leader at the time Tariana Turia to end tobacco smoking by 2025. I acknowledge Hone and Whaea Tariana for their parliamentary and ministerial work that has already reduced consumption levels and is continuing to inspire this policy reform.We have long known the impact of tobacco harm on Māori communities. While we still have a way to go it's easy to forget just how far we've come in the last 20 years. In the year 2000 at the turn of the millennium the daily smoking rate for rangatahi was 31 percent; today it is only 5 percent. While this remains higher than other population groups and we would have to push further we should focus on the positive and acknowledge that cultural and societal attitudes towards tobacco smoking have shifted hugely. I'm confident that we will never again reach the levels of smoking that used to be a feature of life in Aotearoa.Looking at the bill before us Te Paati Māori strongly support the provisions aimed at reducing retail availability and the appeal and attractiveness of smoked tobacco products for young people. Communities have long been fighting to reduce the availability of tobacco and alcohol products in their local areas. There is no good reason for these harmful products to be sold on every street corner.We must be realistic: drugs will always exist and some people will always use drugs. While we can't end drug use we can end drug harm. We must look holistically at the drivers of drug use which are often poverty isolation mental health pressures homelessness domestic and sexual violence and societal marginalisation. But we must also need to look holistically at the ways to end drug harm whether it is tobacco cannabis meth or our worst killer: alcohol. This holistic approach requires a focus on love care and compassion rather than stigmatisation and criminalisation. It requires investment in front-line drug and addiction services from kaupapa Māori providers not investment in police and corrections.Prohibition—prohibition does not work aroha atu we know this. I can't even say the word! The war on drugs is war on black brown and poor communities. As we push for removing criminal penalties for drugs like cannabis we must not create new criminal penalties for drug use.That is why we have strong concerns around the generation policy which would prohibit the use of tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January 2009 meaning anyone 13 or younger will never legally be able to buy smoked tobacco products in their lifetime. This will like promote the rise of a black market for tobacco products leading to associated issues with crime safety and control of products for younger people. It could also likely lead to older siblings friends and whānau supplying products to younger people. Māori legal expert Khylee Quince talks about low-level drug offences being used as convenience charges against tangata whenua which is essentially a way to enter our homes harass our whānau and drum up penalties.There are some factors that mitigate our concerns such as nicotine will not be banned vaping products will still be legally available there will be no possession offences. However our fear is that supply charges could be used against older siblings or whānau members. Possession offences aren't the only charges that cause harm to innocent people and disrupt sovereign Māori communities. The trade of naturally grown products like tobacco should not be criminalised; there is simply no evidence-based rationale for it.I look forward to this bill coming before the Health Committee and the opportunity to scrutinise it in detail. The voices of tangata whenua in this process must be heard. We are confident that we can ensure this bill achieves this shared intention of ending tobacco harm while not creating any new harms through criminalisation and stigmatisation. I look forward to the Minister working with the committee and Te Paati Māori to realise that. Nō reira tēnā tātou katoa.