Hutchison Paul: Smoke-free Environments (Controls and Enforcement) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Hutchison Paul: Smoke-free Environments (Controls and Enforcement) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:673;Page:19711] 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Hunua) 
: 
 Thank you for the opportunity to speak on this very important Smoke-free Environment (Controls and Enforcement) Amendment Bill. This bill imposes controls on the marketing advertising and promotion of tobacco products and it is another significant step forward in reducing the harm from tobacco products here in New Zealand. The Health Committee heard 150 submissions and the committee was in unanimity that the measures taken in this bill were quite appropriate. 
I am sorry to see that Iain Lees-Galloway has just entered the House too late to finish off his speech but he made a very useful contribution during the select committee process and I am sure he will do in the Committee stage as well. I also congratulate the Hon Tariana Turia and the Maori Party on their consistent approach to tobacco control and I acknowledge the work of the Maori Affairs Committee during its inquiry into the tobacco industry in Aotearoa and its consequences for Maori. They would have liked to see even firmer measures than are in the bill but I do believe that the measures taken through this amendment bill are a very important step forward in reducing harm. 
I think it is also important to acknowledge that many individuals have been involved in the history of getting New Zealand to the place where it is at now. If one thinks back prior to the Smoke-free Environments Act of 1990 and even 12 to 15 years ago one could go into public places that were filled with smoke such as aeroplanes railcars and cafes. Most New Zealanders regard it as absolutely wonderful that we have the option of a clean environment. 
It is important to remind the House that there are something like 5000 premature deaths per year from direct smoking and something like 500 deaths from indirect smoking or second-hand smoke inhalation. There still remains a major problem in New Zealand with smoking. As the honourable Tariana Turia pointed out the other night something like 45 percent of the Maori population aged between 16 and 65 still smoke and something like 50 percent of young Maori women are still smoking. 
There is a relentless effort by the tobacco industry to sell tobacco by whatever means it can possibly conjure up. There have been a variety of measures put together in this bill to curtail the marketing the advertising and the promotion of tobacco products. It also includes herbal smoking products which had not had the regulations of the Smoke-free Environments Act enforced previously. It is very much the intention of the Health Committee that those regulations are imposed into the future. There was some debate in the committee as to whether some of the new synthetic products the cannabinoids such as Kronic would also fall within the measures taken by this new legislation. However the view 2 or 3 months ago was that because there had been no public debate or submissions around that that at this stage that aspect would come at a later date. I think the force of view around the country now however is that it would be right and proper to ensure that substances like Kronic synthetic cannabinoids and the whole variety of them do fall under legislation such as this as soon as possible. 
Transition arrangements have been made to ensure that retailers have a reasonable time to prepare. This Government and the select committee very much realise that costs are involved and consequently appropriate transition arrangements have been made. This bill does affect internet sales and that is right and proper and of course includes very strong penalties for trying to sell products over the internet to people under 18. It also affects covert sponsorship. Here again the idea is to counter the exclusive availability of a single tobacco brand at an event including tobacco companies employing people to work at events wearing the brand’s colours. Amendments are appropriately introduced with some pretty stiff penalties of up to $50000 for a manufacturer importer or distributor who breaches the bans. The penalty regime is indeed increased. There has been great concern that in some of the minor retail stores around New Zealand sometimes it is not the owner of the business who has had the penalty brought against them but that will be included in the new regime. 
All in all this is yet another step forward to reduce tobacco harm in New Zealand. It is a very realistic step and a practical step. It comes on the back of previous efforts over several decades including last year a three-step imposition of a tobacco tax of 10 percent a year over 3 years. Cumulatively this is a practical pragmatic and important step forward and I look forward to the Committee stage. I commend the bill to the House.