Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Get a grip, sugar is not the 'new tobacco'

Get a grip, sugar is not the 'new tobacco'

25 JUNE 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Anti-sugar political campaigners, launching their election campaign tomorrow for a new ‘soda tax’, show their true colours when they make ridiculous claims that ‘sugar is the new tobacco’.

Despite attempts to frame themselves as objective and scientific, the leader of the “FIZZ” group, Dr Gerhard Sundborn, has previously described his work as a “political campaign lobby group fighting for the implementation of a sugar tax”.

In 2014, the Taxpayers’ Union caught out FIZZ for falsely claiming official endorsement of a Government agency. See: www.taxpayers.org.nz/fizz_using_health_research_council_s_logo_without_permission

Jordan Williams, the Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union, said: “Dr Sundborn and his group are up to their old tricks again, this time falsely claiming that Auckland DHB head Dr Lester Levy was backing and launching their campaign. Last week the Taxpayers’ Union sought clarification from Dr Levy’s office, asking why such a senior civil servant was active in a political campaign so close to an election. We were told that Dr Levy had actually refused to endorse the FIZZ campaign and even received an apology from FIZZ for falsely using his name in their advertising material.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitemata DBHs have all confirmed that they do not support Dr Sundborn’s campaign, nor do they have any staff attending his FIZZ conference. The claims this group makes, and the impression that they represent the health establishment, are wrong.”

“FIZZ is an industrial strength political campaign. If Dr Sandwants wants to promote a sugar tax, good on him, but he shouldn’t mislead the public, or use taxpayer money.”

"Clearly the over-consumption of sugar is unhealthy. But targeting only one source, accountable for less than six percent of New Zealanders' sugar intake, is costly virtue signaling, not sound public policy."

The 2015 Taxpayers' Union report, Fizzed out: Why a sugar tax won’t curb obesity, examined the effectiveness of sugar taxes in curbing obesity. It is available at: www.taxpayers.org.nz/fizzed_out.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.