Well, well, well – PMs sister-in-law works for Tobacco Industry

1. He never talks to her about tobbacco or to his wife about which car she buys?

   • Heh, heh!
     “The reality is, I would say to you…..” blah, blah, blah……

     • “Let’s take a step back”

2. I still think the main issue is Costello being a complete liar. I don’t actually understand why. Did she think weird ideas coming out of NZF would be somehow seen as unusual? It seems rather implausible that she has no idea where all the notes come from.

3. If 8000 people want to smoke themselves to death why is the governments fault . My biggest grip is the fact that their selfish action ties up medical resources and time but at least they have paid for it through the tax.
   Re the great reveal in a small country like NZ some people would be related to or friends with someone that is involved in a business that is a moral problem for some becit smoking ,racing, gambling etc so no big story here unless you want to make it so for your own ends.

   • Get a grip on your gripe, Trev.

   • I’ve never seen an economic analysis that- even completely disregarding excise tax- has early-dying smokers costing more to the medical establishment and social services than they would had they not smoked and lived longer.

     Now I’m not a disgusting neoliberal like Chris Hipkins or David Seymour, people should live longer to spend more time with their grandchildren, but these individualist neoliberal weirdos don’t even want people having kids let alone grandkids, so Hipkins is clearly not motivated by any reasonable argument.

   • Trevor No. Just because we have a small population does not mean that many of us have morally slimey whanau, that’s poppycock.

     Todd Barclay, a National MP for Southland, was investigated by the police for secretly recording his office staff. He too, was a tobacco company rep, and it looks more as if persons engaging in one morally dubious activity are more likely to get involved in another than decent everyday Kiwis are.

   • In that case Trevor they ( or pants on fire Costello) shouldn’t be protecting the price against inflation, so they can gather more dosh to pay for the medical resources. That’s due to the decision not to ban the sale, that they decided to take.

     The thing about their argument concerning gang revenue, and people are going to smoke regardless, makes them look like complete f’ing hypocrites when it comes to other “vices”. Clearly not all of them. Seymour at least was for legalising weed as some of the other less conservative National MPs. You can bet your life Luxon would be outrageously sanctimonious on that issue.

   • My mother died of lung cancer after smoking since the age of thirteen. In her mid-60s she was told to give up or she’d have about eighteen months left to live. She wasn’t going to – it’s that addictive. My dad asked me to talk to her, and I told her to fucking give up. I think she was pretty shocked by the fucking. But she did say afterwards that after she’d given up, every day she woke up needing a cigarette. Not just wanting one but needing one. It’s that addictive. She died about twenty years after she gave up, but she never got rid of the desire to smoke. It’s that addictive. And of course when she did die, you paid for her medical treatment out of your taxes. So it’s not just a question of if people want to smoke themselves to death is it?

     • And not only that but people smoking cause others to die as the results of passive inhalation. Really stupid argument Trevor.

       • As smoking is banned in all entertainment and work places only those in the same home would be effected.If the smoker does not care about the health or finances of his family then I am sure nothing the government can do will stop him.
         I am against smoking as much as anybody but I am more against having the government controlling someone’s life choices.

         • Hey Trevor always your argument is right wing good left wing bad, I can understand that we all want to promote and support our voting choice for good however who in their right mind supports or promotes this smoking legislation .Its sending the wrong message to the poorest in our country and the children saying its ok to carry on smoking because for the next 3 years at least we ain’t going to increase the price so you can budget for them in your weekly income . Plus you the poor are doing a very good thing for the squeezed middle ( who have now miraculously disappeared) and the mega rich landlords because you will help to pay for their well deserved tax cuts and as a result we will give you a 2% rise in your minimum wage that won’t give you much but will greatly benefit your employers. We are also taking away your prescription charges, your children’s school lunches but hey its ok we will still encourage you to smoke for the good of the country and to make the already wealthy wealthier .

         • Trevor a lot of this Government’s policies are about control. Surely you are old enough to understand that?

4. “So are they all, all honourable men”

5. Might be an issue if he appointed her health minister or something.
   I’m sure his cousins friends sister probably smoked a cigarette once too!

   Still remembering the media non reaction to Mahuta family occupations.

   • Remind us again what those occupations were?

6. Possibly Luxon’s least dodgy affiliation.

7. International Tobacco is a vile money trench, second only to the Arms Industry.

   Baldrick must have known this connection would be outed…but perhaps just does not give a shit, or take it seriously like most things. A number of Natzos over the years have “worked”–it is just a big cruise for execs–in tobacco, and now there seem to be senior tobacco linked MPs galore.

8. Aw, Trev… really? You could then logically ask why allow people to make a choice to drive a car – they can injure/kill people too! And the cost to the health system is massive.

9. 2.65 of the NZ Government Cabinet Manual states there may be a conflict of interest if a member of a Minister’s family derive or are perceived to derive a financial or other benefit from the Ministers decision making. Employees of tobacco manufacture would benefit from the easing of cigarette restrictions indirectly from a stronger industry or directly if they benefited from sales. Luxon’s family member is an employee of tobacco manufacture. The terrible health outcomes and the dismantling of 50 year old health policy aside, the family member had to have benefited from the decisions of this government and so there must be a conflict of interest.

   • You are drawing a very long bow with your argument. There were a few deals done while Labour was in charge where family members benefited directly .In a small country like NZ this is bound to happen

     • Trevor The difference in this case is that not only do Luxon and co’s family members benefit financially, but they are participating in an industry which causes major bodily harm to others, and which inflicts an economic burden on the country. Not nice.

     • Trevor if you won’t listen to reason, why is Costello ( not a medical person) handling the smoking portfolio) Reti is the minister of health and a Doctor and he’s not, what’s your excuse for that decision of his.

   • Ethan Woke. But those clowns on the hill have a fairly idiosyncratic view of family and of their relations, and their relations with their relations. Bishop, who seemingly says that he’s not defined by tobacco, at one stage apparently denied that his in-laws were family at all.

     Not-defined-by-tobacco Bishop, is also notorious throughout Wellington’s western suburbs because of his hungry old father, John Bishop, complaining about the unavailability of hot sausage rolls in, no, not a patisserie or bakery, but petrol stations. He even penned a column whinging about it.

     When aged parents of rich politicians are driving around town looking for food, the outlook is decidedly grim for the plebs thinking that politicians have their interests at heart. Luxon’s relatives may not want to engage with him at all. I wouldn’t. They sound disreputable anyway. He’s as boring as he looks and his idiotic photo ops trying to look relatable were pathetic.

10. In New Zealand, the land of only 2 degrees of separation, it’s almost guaranteed that someone’s relative once removed is in a related business.

    This is a nothing burger.

    • I think it’s you who is a nothing burger. Probably married to your sister or brother.

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