Govt's anti-healthy food stance not winning public
te-pati-maori
Thu Jul 22 2010 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Govt's anti-healthy food stance not winning public
Thursday, 22 July 2010, 2:24 pm
Press Release: The Maori Party
Govt's anti-healthy food stance not winning public over
Maori Party MP Rahui Katene says the Government is failing to convince the public why GST should not be removed from healthy food.
"The Prime Minister and Inland Revenue Minister are coming up with some lame excuses for their anti-GST off healthy food stance.
“I've been receiving messages from thousands of people in support of my bill and many of them are really disappointed that this so-called Government of change has been so closed minded over the issue.
“I really do hope, for the health of our nation, that the Government will reconsider its position.
Regardless of what happens this issue won’t be going away – we’ve planted a seed and we want it to grow.”
Lame Government excuse no. 1: "…Once you start exempting one part, meat and vegetables, then why wouldn't (you to) other parts of the food equation." Mrs Katene’s response: “It is silly of the Government to imply that if healthy food is exempted then the same would have to happen with unhealthy food. This country has one of the worst obesity problems in the developed world. Anyone who would do that would be nuts!”
Lame Government excuse no. 2: "We've compensated for GST through personal tax cuts, so we are not going to move on and take GST off food."
Mrs Katene’s response: “The tax cuts and benefit increases might cover the GST increase based on current food prices but not if those prices get any higher (and they are) This is not about the cost of living, it is about promoting healthy eating choices by making healthy food cheaper than highly processed food.”
Lame Government excuse no. 3: "…What’s the difference between lean and non-lean meat:” Mrs Katene’s response: “Let’s not let definitions stop making healthy food more accessible to the nation. Definitions can be sorted during the select committee process.”
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Lame Government excuse no. 4: “…it would mean a loss of millions of tax dollars which would have to be found somewhere else.” Mrs Katene’s response: “What about the 11,000 people who are dying every year from nutritional related sicknesses and diseases? Healthy eating will save millions of dollars in costs associated with poor health. It is not a loss of revenue but an investment in a healthy future.”
Lame Government excuse no. 5: “When one looks at the experiences of defining some of these items in the Australian and the British context, one sees that we would be extremely unwise to follow suit.” Mrs Katene’s response: “We will be able to learn from the experiences of those countries.”
ENDS
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