MEDIA RELEASE

Use of School Children as Prop for Campaign on Sugar Tax Disturbing

20 FEBRUARY 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming organisers of a media event today that used school children to push their campaign for a sugar tax. The group of academics, calling themselves ‘Fizz’, have been vocal in their political advocacy for a sugar tax and held the event in Auckland this morning.

“These people are shameless,” says Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams. “They allege soft drink companies market to young people, then use children for their own political ends pushing for a sugar tax."

On Tuesday the Union revealed that the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) asked the organisers of Fizz to remove its logo from Fizz's promotional material. The HRC does not support or endorse the Fizz campaign.

“You have to question a group’s credibility when they falsely claim to have the support of the HRC, then fly over 10 kids from Colorado to wheel them out for the media as part of what clearly is a political campaign,” says Williams.

“Despite claiming to be about science, the conference topics include politically loaded themes such as 'recruiting media to mobilise public support' and 'lessons learned from advocacy experience’."

ENDS

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