AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY CALLS FOR 20% TAX ON MILK, MEAT, EGGS AND BREAD

9 JULY 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Auckland University’s latest report calling for new food taxes is the most ridiculous yet, according to the Taxpayers’ Union. The report calls for a 20% flat rate tax on bread; breakfast cereals; processed meat; fresh beef, lamb, hogget, and poultry; all take-away foods; butter; cakes; biscuits; cheese; cream; pies; pizza; sauces and condiments; milk; ice cream; yoghurt; and eggs.

The University’s press statement says that "Maori and low-income New Zealanders are most likely to benefit from these policies”.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says “We are dumfounded that ivory tower academics could think that taxing staple foods will help the poor. We had to call Auckland University to check that this wasn’t a hoax. They even want to tax fresh milk, eggs, and meat.”

"Ramping up taxes on basic staples under an arrogant guise of helping the poor is surely a cruel joke. Pulling numbers from secret computer model and boldly claiming that it will be the amount of ‘lives saved’ is political advocacy, not academic research.”

Auckland University’s report coincides with the release of the Taxpayers’ Union paper showing that claims of a 12 per cent drop in Mexican soda sales since that country implemented a soda tax were false. Actual sales figures, collated by Neilsen and published by the Taxpayers’ Union show that Mexico’s tax has had virtually no impact on the volume of sales.

Mr Williams says, "Given the mistruths and fundamental flaws the Taxpayers’ Union is beginning to uncover, Auckland University should be reining in its public health unit before this whole issue becomes an embarrassment for the University.”

The Taxpayers’ Union report, Fizzed Out: Why a sugar tax won’t curb obesity, isavailable here.

Links:

• Auckland University media statement
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• Auckland University’s infographic (describing the taxes proposed)
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ENDS

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