Turia Tariana: Excise and Excise-equivalent Duties Table (Tobacco Products) Amendment Bill — First Reading Second Reading Third Reading 
Turia Tariana: Excise and Excise-equivalent Duties Table (Tobacco Products) Amendment Bill — First Reading Second Reading Third Reading 
[Volume:662;Page:10579] 
Hon TARIANA TURIA (Associate Minister of Health) 
: 
 I move  
That the Excise and Excise-equivalent Duties Table (Tobacco Products) Amendment Bill be now read a second time 
. This bill heralds one of the most significant developments to take place in the public health system of this country. This bill is about saving lives and I am humbled and greatly heartened by the support of parties throughout the House on this immensely important day—118 votes out of 122. I greatly appreciate the strength of support that has come through this debate. 
This move will put the price of cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco up enough to save hundreds of lives. Our most preliminary estimates are that there will be 300 fewer premature deaths a year as a result of the tobacco excise increase rising to 500 fewer deaths a year by the year 2031. This development is well overdue. I am reminded of the results of a survey from the Ministry of Health just 2 years ago. It found that 80 percent of New Zealand smokers said that they regretted starting to smoke and that if they had their time again they would not smoke. This bill is for them. The price increase will give them an added incentive to quit and a huge incentive to all of our young people to never start. This bill is an investment in the future of our country. 
I have read over some of the submissions presented to the Maori Affairs Committee inquiry held over the course of the last few months. The challenges laid out there are inspirational. There has been talk of people wanting to live in a smoke-free nation and to take the opportunity to be world leaders in this land in countering the global smoking epidemic. Some amazing examples have been shared of people trying to make a difference in their own way. There are stories that demonstrate the power of w’anau celebrating the impact of loved ones providing the incentive to quit. 
I have to admit that many years ago when I was courting my husband I had the occasional cigarette. George told me in no uncertain terms that I had to give up and such was the power of love at that time that I did it. It was an extremely effective strategy long before the days of nicotine lozenges and patches. Many such powerful incentives were shared by those who had the courage to give their stories to the select committee. In Hokianga the word is out that if rangatahi want to be part of waka ama they have to be smoke-free. At the Pasifika Festival held every year Pacific Heartbeat promotes the message of being smoke-free ensuring that every person who attends that celebration leaves their cigarettes at home. 
Other stories simply made me want to weep. One of the most traumatic stories was told by Lloyd and Hinga Whiu. They shared the profound sadness within their midst that within their mother’s line 14 of the 16 siblings had died of smoking-related diseases leaving a void that will never be filled. Their submission spelt out in black and white the ghastly reality that cigarettes kill one in every two long-term smokers. 
This afternoon right across the House we have declared our condemnation of smoking as the biggest single cause of avoidable death and disease. The purpose of this legislation is very clear: it is all about the issue of psychological triggers to quit. We know that most people who quit smoking need to make several attempts before they succeed. 
The second distinguishing feature of this legislation is the substantial price increase for roll-your-owns. The Government has decided to equalise the excise duties on a weight-by-weight basis so that all smokers face the same financial incentive to quit. In effect the excise on loose tobacco will rise by 24 percent immediately followed by the same 10 percent increases in 2011 and 2012 as for cigarettes. Loose tobacco accounts for about a third of all the tobacco smoked in New Zealand and we have one of the highest rates of roll-your-own use in the world which is hardly something to be proud of. It should be known that the taxation of loose and manufactured tobacco products was last equalised in 1995. Since that time the proportion of smokers using loose tobacco has increased from 28 percent to 50 percent today. As well as that considerable jump in numbers users of loose tobacco tend to be younger to be of lower socio-economic status and to be Maori or Pasifika people. These groups are the most sensitive to the price of tobacco products and as such are the greatest users of loose tobacco. 
The bill is intended to prompt people to stop smoking and I will talk to two particular aspects of this legislation that warrant further explanation. The first is the rationale for why we are not bringing the price increases in all at once. As a Government we have been concerned about the financial impact of the changes on low-income households where smokers may struggle to immediately cut down or quit. As a consequence of our concerns we decided to phase in the increases to give people more time to adjust. But I have a word for those who might suggest that these increases might hurt low-income families in particular. Of course the well-being of our most vulnerable New Zealanders will always concern us but I ask where the evidence is that their well-being is enhanced by picking up a cigarette. 
A far bigger concern for the family members of low-income smokers is the harm that is done through the premature death of a smoking parent the decline of household income through a smoker’s ill health the health impacts on smokers’ children from their exposure to smoke and the health impacts on the children yet to be born when a mother smokes while pregnant. It is also noted that in phasing in the changes frequent price rises are likely to be more effective than less frequent larger price rises. A particular concern for me is that 61 percent of smokers who are aged from 15 to 19 years report smoking roll-your-owns. The research tells us that young people are less likely to try smoking if the cigarettes are seen to be too expensive. 
Finally I extend my genuine appreciation right across the House for the vision the leadership and the solidarity that has been expressed. It has been an extremely moving debate seeing parties come together on our commitment to a healthier future for all our peoples in this land. Tonight I place on record my gratitude to all of those smoke-free champions the advocates and analysts the Auahi Kore providers and the researchers. This bill has also benefited from the dedication of officials in Treasury and the Customs Service and especially the tobacco team in the Ministry of Health. 
My last word goes to all of those mokopuna out there who today tell their parents not to smoke and who carry that message with such pride and vigour. They remind us that when one woman dies we lose an entire generation. We owe it to our children to pass this bill. 
Na reira ka mate te wahine kotahi he w’akatipuranga ka ngaro i te tirohanga kanohi ki te po uriuri ki te po tangatango. Ma te wahine kotahi ara ano he rau w’akatipuranga koia nei te putake o tenei pire kua eke panuku kua eke Tangaroa haere mai te toki haumi e hui e taiki e. 
[ 
So if one woman dies a generation is lost from sight to the deep and intense night. On the other hand one woman can conceive a generation that will surmount the realm and ocean of Tangaroa. Welcome the adze; we are about to lead a new life together. This after all is the nub of this bill 
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