PM Christopher Luxon’s sister-in-law works for tobacco company
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s sister-in-law works as a trade and marketing coordinator for British American Tobacco, the largest tobacco company in the world, but he says he never discussed tobacco policy with her.
“The Cabinet Office is aware of the connection and I am confident I have complied with the Cabinet Manual,” he said in a statement.
The revelation comes as the National-led coalition government faces increasing pressure over its links with the tobacco industry.
The National-led coalition government has promised to repeal the radical smokefree legislation within its first 100 days. Money raised from tobacco sales will also be used to pay for tax cuts.
Well, well, well.
What do we have here?
So the Prime Minister’s Sister in Law works for the industry that National immediately decided to wipe legislation for and green light 8000 tobacco deaths for tax cuts???
The farce is Luxon is demanding National, ACT and NZ First highlight donations from tobacco when that donation was made out in the open!
Here’s Big Tobacco stoking Dairy crime fear while ignoring that it’s their addictive product fuelling that Dairy crime…
The ‘corner dairy campaign’ quietly backed by big tobacco
A campaign to “save our stores” from a smokefree initiative looks like a grassroots effort. The truth is more complicated.
Since 1 August, ads have started showing up on Facebook urging people to support a petition to “save our stores”.
The ads, which lead to a website called Save Our Stores, ask users to sign a petition to repeal the Smokefree 2025 Act. The act includes a measure to reduce the number of stores selling full strength tobacco from 6000 nationwide to 600 by July 2024.
At first glance, the campaign appears to be an initiative from dairy owners. Under a headline of “who we are” on the website’s “about us” page, a dairy owner said to be from Lower Hutt is featured: “My name is Bhavesh. I’m a dairy owner in Lower Hutt. I’ve been serving customers for 17 years.”
However, smaller type at the bottom of the page says the website is “proudly supported” by tobacco companies BAT (British American Tobacco) New Zealand and Imperial Brands. The website’s privacy policy says the website is “provided” by the tobacco companies.
The website encourages dairy owners to get involved by printing out posters to display in their stores. These include messages in bold type warning: “This dairy is under threat of closure” with a QR code which leads to the website.
LOOK. AT. THE. POSTERS. AND. TELL. ME. THEY. ARE. NOT. POLITICAL!
The Tobacco Industry has already made its ‘donation’ to this Government, so pretending the Rights hands are clean over Tobacco donations is a fucking joke!
Perhaps a better question should be ‘does anyone in this new Government NOT work for the Tobacco industry’?
If only this Government loved the environment and lowering poverty as much as they love the Tobacco Industry.
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Clearly the Sister-in-law is writing government policy. Case closed. Guilt has been proved.
Yes, I’m being sarcastic.
Ada Maybe you’re missing the point here. It doesn’t say much about the quality or values of Luxon’s family, working for the tobacco industry. It’s not like being a paediatric surgeon, or a tree surgeon for that matter. It’s bad bastards enriching themselves in an unedifying and thoroughly bad way. That’s the third Nat that I know of, smooching with addiction pedlars.
Doesn’t Martyn Bradbury smoke a pipe? If yes is he an ally of tobacco industry.
I DO NOT FUCKING SMOKE TOBACCO!
This is the second time you have been caught peddling lies and falsehoods as facts Bob the First.
Then why are their pics of you with a pipe?
because I use that pipe to smoke you fucking lying moron
A TMR is not even management, it’s like the Avon rep writing Avon’s policy. TMRs are glorified shelf stackers
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”
Corrupt AND stupid?! What a “winning” combination!
This Coalition of Clowns keeps plumbing new depths by the day in record breaking fashion.
Just who the heck is running this country at the moment?
Tobacco Industry? Real Estate? Banks? AUKUS? Atlas?
All of the above?
And BTW, which Co-Governor is Prime Minister?
Clueless Cluxon? Tinfoil Winston? Or Sellout Seymour?
They’re all promoting their anti_NZ agendas currently, trying to drown out each others noise.
What an utter shambles. We knew it would be bad, but this bad??!! Even the most left of commentators are shocked at the state of it.
The shambles were cast out in October.
To be replaced by a train wreck. Your “three wise men” branding needs a serious rethink Bob. I suggest you watch the Three Amigos for a more realistic source of comparison.
Please don’t ask Bob to think.
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.
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.
do we still have drug addicts in nz despite the law….I rest my case wheel
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?
No one can be surprised by this, Bishop & Cluxon & that stupid Political cow who wanted to remove the excise tax on ciggies are nothing more than sleazy salesman for Big tobacco, they are paid off Lobbyists & quisling scumbags on the take & this latest revelation about Luxon’s sister in law confirms the corruption is endemic? Luxon needs to resign along with Bishop & the rest who are involved in this Tobacco scandal, they are compromised, this is clear conflicts of interest in which these former Lobbyists now Politicians who have gotten into power are now legislating Policy at the Govt level to change Laws to benefit the Tobacco Industry? This is State corruption at the highest level & Luxon & his corrupt bunch need to be held accountable for this crime, Luxon & his National Patty Coalition was elected to Govt to look after the interests of the NZ people who voted them into Office, not to serve the interests of Big Tobacco, Luxon, Bishop & the rest of these crooks need to be charged with corruption & removed from Govt, they are criminals acting out in the open & trying to get away with this & they will thanks to the pathetic, insipid NZ Media who fail miserably to inform NZers & to hold Govt to account for these conflicts of interests, it’s disgraceful & disgusting & this is why no one watches or reads NZ Mainstream media anymore & come to sites like this for decent analysis & information that have revealed the corruption & criminality of the Luxon Govt, lives will be lost over the Luxon Govts changes to the Tobacco laws on behalf of this murderous Tobacco Industry & Luxon must be held accountable for every death of a smoker, thanks to his appeasement to Big Tobacco?
Many people will get melanoma due to giving themselves a sun tan by choice
.Should the government be held responsible for allowing people to sunbath.
Trevor. Just in case you didn’t know, nicotine is a very addictive substance, the sun isn’t. What’s more, the big bad tobacco companies deliberately added nicotine to their cigarettes, to increase the addiction. This is well documented, as is the rough treatment meted out to insiders who objected.
And, Trevor, farmers, and outdoor labourers, and fathers growing vegetables for their families who have never sunbathed in their lives, get afflicted by malignant melanomas, and die. How about not making a false equivalence.
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.
What? People will get melanoma because they work outside too. I don’t really see the comparison. Isn’t the debate about all the moves this government is taking to ensure smokers continue to smoke and now they looking at keeping the price stable so that continues…..but supposedly the goal is to continue reducing smoking rates. The question is, who is driving this contradiction. I get the sense it’s really Act, once again making Luxon look stupid. Costello continues to contradict what Luxon says around the excise tax. She needs to go.
You’re forgetting about the considerable number of people who, through no fault of their own, die each year due to 2nd hand smoke inhaltion.
Every tax pay
ing citizen ends up paying for that!
LoL…what a rant, were you crying when you typed it Antboy?
‘blood on his hands’….heehee
People all over the planet have been legally smoking for over 100yrs, ITS NOT ILLEGAL!
But the thought of you crying typing that rant Antboy beings me joy, thank you.
What an idiot Im right continues to be. Clearly this article has got under your deep blue skin. The only joy you get is your Luxon poster in your shower bloc.
Squeaky, I don’t care who anyone’s relations are, National are in govt for at least the next 33 months, probably next 39mths.
I don’t care about polls, I don’t care about any political headlines this early in an election cycle.
But I do enjoy explaining to the left commentators they are wrong…and why they are wrong and laugh when they get upset….
“But I do enjoy explaining to the left commentators they are wrong…”
This from the cretin who NEVER gets ANYTHING right.
Good for you tighty righty even if your delusional thoughts are always wrong.
If I could I’d copy and paste your posts in the Readers Digest under ” Laughter the Best Medicine. It may even help heal your affliction.
“So are they all, all honourable men”
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?
Possibly Luxon’s least dodgy affiliation.
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.
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.
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.
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.
why are they roping in an innocuous activity like vaping…nicotine alone does no harm…and before anyone shoots their mouth of please cite SCIENTIFIC studies….’parents are worried’ and ‘teachers think’ IS NOT science.
why are we not promoting vaping indeed proscribing it, a SAFER (nothing is safe from cream cakes to cars and cetainly not coffee or alchohol) adelivery system that can save kiwi lives it beggars belife.
discarded dispo sablevapes is a litter not a medical issue….can we ban mickey d’s because their wrappers are discarded willy nilly by their customers