Te Reo Marama - Government’s Response to the Maori Affairs Select Committee’s Report

Government’s Response to the Maori Affairs Select Committee’s Report on its Inquiry Into the Tobacco Industry in Aotearoa and the Consequences of Tobacco Use for Maori

Te Reo Marama Trust, 9 March 2011

The purpose of the Maori Affairs Select Committee inquiry into the tobacco industry was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the tobacco industry’s promotion of tobacco use amongst Maori. Secondly, it wanted to gauge the impact of tobacco use on the health of the Maori population, and the wider economic, social, cultural and developmental impacts that arise from such health effects, and tobacco use more generally.

Te Reo Marama, a national Maori tobacco Advocacy group, mihi to the 2000 submitters who responded to the inquiry by sharing their personal stories on how the use of tobacco amongst their whanau, hapu and iwi has caused unnecessary and devastating losses with ongoing effects. Without the united actions of whanau hapu and iwi and community health providers this historic announcement for a tupeka kore nation by 2025, would not have been possible; Maori are mobilising on the tobacco epidemic!

Secondly, the trust mihi to the Government, in particular Minister Turia and all the members of the Maori Affairs Select Committee. We commend and congratulate Minister Turia on her courage, commitment and leadership by demonstrating to the tobacco industry that their opportunity to recruit future generations of Maori in order to continue the industry’s longevity is coming to an end.

Last but not least, the trust mihi to Hone Harawira and Shane Bradbrook for sharing their vision of a tupeka kore nation. Their leadership and tenacity to expose and eliminate the hold the tobacco industries and their addictive products have had on successive generations will undoubtedly and significantly improve current and future health outcomes, not only for whanau, hapu and iwi but for all peoples of Aotearoa.

ENDS

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