8. Question No. 8—HealthHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Labour) to the Associate Minister of HealthQuestion No. 8—Health8. Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Labour) to the Associate Minister of Health: Does she stand by all her statements and actions?Hon CASEY COSTELLO (Associate Minister of Health): Yes in particular those that relate to my absolute commitment to the Smokefree 2025 targets and to providing practical targeted help so that smokers who are addicted to nicotine can stop.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: Why did she say in the House yesterday that her comments to media were truthful at the time" because "Being offered something and asking for something are two separate matters." when the document she signed on 20 December shows that she both initiated the advice and accepted the offer to provide that advice by circling an option for further advice on freezing tobacco excise tax?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: Mr Speaker I apologise if this answer is a long-worded answer but it is an answer around process so I think it's important to clarify what actually happened. When I received this delegation I provided a range of information to officials including things like Hansard records and previous policy positions around smoke-free and vaping to help guide conversations. The health paper came back setting out a number of areas on which I could be provided advice and I marked that I wanted advice on all of them as I consider it is important to be broadly informed before making decisions. That health briefing referred to proposals and notes. They were not my proposals to be clear. They were not things that I had written. This was general information I had provided to officials and I'm sure they can verify this. I haven't yet received any of that advice and I certainly did not specifically request a proposal on excise freeze.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: Why did the Minister say yesterday that the truthfulness of her statement rested on a distinction between being offered and asking for advice when the evidence shows she did both?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: I think I've answered the question.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: Does she agree with the Prime Minister who Radio New Zealand reported as having said yesterday that the Government will not be pausing increases to tobacco excise tax?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: Of course I agree with the Prime Minister and it is advice that we are considering and when we receive that advice we will make informed decisions.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: Can the Minister clarify: is the Prime Minister correct that the Government will not be pausing increases to tobacco excise tax or is she still considering advice on that matter the Prime Minister has ruled out?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: I think I've answered the question but I am committed to receiving broad advice and we will make recommendations on the best options to enable people to quit smoking.Tākuta Ferris: Does she agree that dropping cancer screening for Māori by 10 years is an equitable approach to address the inequity that exists for Māori with cancer; if not what is her Government proposing to address this inequity that Māori have faced for decades?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: I'm absolutely committed which is the reason we do not want a broad-brush approach; we want targeted campaigns that will enable the most marginalised and most vulnerable to quit smoking.SPEAKER: [Interruption] We're now quiet—we're now quiet. We're now quiet—there's a question being asked."