Calls for a sugary drinks tax grow louder

Minister of Health Jonathan Coleman needs to stand up for the health of all Kiwi kids, recognise he got it wrong, and move to implement a sugary drinks tax, the Green Party said today.

The New Zealand Dental Association and its partner organisations, including Diabetes NZ and the Cancer Society, have today issued a joint statement calling for a sugary drinks tax, to help combat our growing childhood obesity problem.

“The way this is going, the Minister of Health will be the last person left in New Zealand who doesn’t think a sugary drinks tax will help our kids’ health,” Green Party health spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said.

“When it comes to determining the effects of sugar on kids’ health, and whether a drinks tax would help combat that, I’d take the advice of dentists, Diabetes NZ and the Cancer Society over junk-food apologists any day of the week.

“In the House yesterday, the Minister admitted that he had referred to an unpublished, non peer-reviewed, industry-funded report to question the peer-reviewed evidence on the effectiveness of a sugary drinks tax.

“The Minister also seemed not to have read the direct advice he received from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, which, contrary to Coleman's assertions, was clear there is new strong evidence of the sustained impact and benefit of a sugary drinks tax in protecting health.

“A sugary drinks tax could help save lives by reducing diabetes, strokes, obesity, and cardiovascular damage. It’s proven to work overseas and it could work here too.

“We need the Minister of Health to put the health and wellbeing of children ahead of the interests of the junk food industry.

“The Green Party backs a sugary-drink tax, which has been implemented in many countries around the world and is backed by the World Health Organisation as an important tool in the fight for children’s health,” Ms Genter said. 

Latest Health Announcements

Story

Covid Inquiry report underlines need to invest in Health

The Green Party says the report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 Response underlines the need for proper investment in our he...
Read More

Story

End of free RAT tests means more exposure to virus

The end of free Rapid Antigen Tests today is another sign the Government is giving up on the challenge of protecting the community from Covid-19.
Read More

Story

Greens stand in solidarity with Buller community

The Green Party stands in solidarity with the Buller community in its silent protest for better healthcare. 
Read More

Story

A step forward on cancer drug funding but more to do

The Green Party welcomes the announcement of more funding for cancer treatments and medicines, however, calls for more to be done to address the se...
Read More

Story

Scrapping Māori Health Authority tramples over Te Tiriti o Waitangi

The Green Party condemns the Government’s latest trashing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in rushing through legislation, without any public input, that wi...
Read More

Story

Cruel move to put tobacco profit over people’s health

Sacrificing the health of our rangatahi to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy few is a deeply cynical move and shows this Government is more influenc...
Read More