The Briefing

Debate over tobacco tax increases has intensified as research indicates potentially conflicting policy directions. In this blog, we explore how allocating a proportion of tobacco tax revenue to assist smokers, and funding other complementary measures, could help avoid unintended outcomes and support continuation of an effective policy intervention.

In this blog we use the issue of tobacco tax increases to show the potentially large benefits to youth and non-smokers – as well as to smokers who quit. Policy-makers need to take a broad view of how tobacco control policies impact on society so that progress to the country’s Smokefree 2025 goal is accelerated.

What lessons can we learn from Canada's progressive public policy in areas like responding to climate change, supporting cycling, controls on food marketing directed at children and more?

The New Zealand Government has set up a Tax Working Group to consider reforms of the tax system. In this blog we briefly discuss some of the opportunities for tax reform that will potentially improve health and lower health costs, reduce health inequalities and enhance environmental sustainability.

From 1 April 2018, the UK is putting in place a type of sugary drinks tax – actually a “soft drinks industry levy”. This blog reviews how they are doing it, early signs of its success, and ponders its relevance for NZ.

The health organisation OraTaiao convened a group of experts to analyse the climate change policies of NZ political party policies. This blog takes a supplementary approach, looking at actual climate related actions taken in the last Parliamentary term (since late 2014).

The Government has an action plan to tackle childhood obesity, but it lacks a tax on sugary drinks – a strategy for which there is good evidence. We look at a new Treasury Report on soft drink tax price elasticities that has just emerged.

In this blog we take a brief look at what potential there is for revising the NZ tax system from a public health perspective.

What is known about tobacco tax increases in this country, what remains unknown, and what might be needed for the next phase of tobacco taxation-related policy and research?

In this blog, we briefly analyse eight common arguments raised in opposition to health related food taxes, and consider their basis drawing on the best available NZ and international evidence.