Casey Costello is part of a new breed of political predator lobbyists who were former consultants, who gained list representation in ACT and NZ First, and who are now ruthlessly implementing pro industry policy that they previously represented.
Nicole Mckee, Todd Stephenson, Shane Jones and Winston are all part of this new clique.
The Tobacco Industry are laughing all the way to the bank as this Government cut them a $216m sweet heart deal…
Officials told New Zealand First minister Casey Costello that Philip Morris would be the biggest winner from tax cuts for Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs), which they said were toxic and more harmful than vaping.
Despite a long list of problems Treasury identified with the proposal, Costello claimed she had got her own “independent” advice to the contrary and went ahead with a 50 percent excise tax cut for HTPs, at a cost of up to $216 million.
Associate Health Minister Costello has been criticised by public health experts, who last week said the excise tax cut amounted to an untested, radical experiment.
When the tax cut was revealed by RNZ in July, it was immediately criticised as “weighted in favour of the tobacco industry” by Janet Hoek, a professor of public health.
New documents obtained under the Official Information Act show Treasury officials shared those concerns, among others, which they laid out in detailed briefings to Costello.
…put aside the obscenity of giving the tobacco Industry a $216m subsidy when we can’t afford the Dunedin Hospital, the glorious home goal by Casey this week was a magnificent fuck up…
Casey Costello’s tobacco tax cut plan stalled as device pulled from shelves
NZ First Minister Casey Costello’s plan to encourage people to switch to Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) has hit a major snag with the sole supplier Philip Morris forced to pull its device from sale.
Associate Health Minister Costello slashed the excise tax by 50 percent on HTPs at a cost of up to $216 million, in a bid to encourage people to switch to the product as an alternative to smoking.
Philip Morris has a monopoly in the HTP market in New Zealand with its IQOS, where sticks of tobacco are heated to a vapour rather than burned.
But the IQOS device is classified as a vape and has been caught by Labour’s regulations forcing devices to have removable batteries and child safety mechanisms, which finally kicked in on 1 October.
Documents show Costello tried to have the regulations delayed for two years. But the Cabinet only agreed to a six month delay from the original date of 21 March.
…after getting her Tobacco mates a $216m sweet heart deal, she didn’t tell the Prime Minister that the product she had just pimped for has been taken off the market!
Every Kiwi should be ashamed that this hard right, racist, climate denying, beneficiary bashing, disabled abusing Government is in power manufacturing an austerity crisis while they cut sweetheart deals for their donor class.
Dear NZ.
You have sided with “I’m rich and I’m sorted’ because you hated Jacinda for having the temerity to save 20 000 lives during. once in a. century pandemic. Perhaps you need to reflect on your spite and how your anger was manipulated by National, ACT and NZF into this harvest of malice.
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Just another in the long list of cock ups .And people said the last government failed on delivery .Hell we got schools up graded ,hospitals up graded and new builds done or under way .
These clowns cant even get cancer growth underway by giving tobacco companies a tax cut .This minister has to go and as a boomer I am worried about the future for old people as she is the minister for the elderly .Maybe compulsory euthanasia at age 75 with one of McKees AK 47 s is on the cards .
We got a lot of state houses built, didn’t Labour build the most houses under Jacinda in fact more than any other government ever it’s a pity as National will do exactly what they did last time, sell them.
Yes I laughed at the own goal.
Costello is a pimp that is why.
more like a Hooker for the Pimp Phillip Morris and National voters are her Johns
Mrs Costello is another arrogant ex detective turned MP who is used to a “my way or the highway” method of operating. Unfortunately for this one who usually looks like she just put a finger in a live power socket–the OIA does not quite work that way. She has already been bollocked and made to apologise to RNZ, and is going to have her office record keeping procedures investigated.
No digital version of the document…just appeared…yeah right. A forensic examination of the paper and fonts could turn up something, as would comparing the text with historic Phillip Morris and other industry documents and comments.
As to why…this CoC lot are craven sell outs to various capitalist lobbys, some of them pretty heavy duty when you get to infrastructure and the potential capital cost to taxpayers.
I’m astounded at the free pass Media are giving this Govt. Claire Curran was crucified and hounded for months by the Media for far less than Costello’s dodgy dealings yet this Coalition can do almost anything without scrutiny. NZ Media no longer have any teeth.
Labour claims to be a left-wing party. Why aren’t they promising to investigate Costello and imprison her for her corruptions?
The only MP to go to prison was a Labour MP for abuse of power over staff.
So Trevor are you now a Costello fan now as well? Your standards are plummeting.
She’s just released an absolute load of rubbish and tried to call it independent advice. You can almost guarantee it was gathered in haste to support her gift to Philip Morris.
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