MEDIA RELEASE

TUREI NOW HAVING IT BOTH WAYS

17 FEBRUARY 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A sugar tax “would make a very little difference” according to Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei who spoke to NBR Radio today. She rebuted the Taxpayers’ Union pointing out her double standard in complaining about the closure of Dunedin’s Cadbury factory while at the same time pushing for sugar taxes. The position is inconsistent with previous advocacy that a sugar tax should be implemented because they are “effective" and "because we know we'll reduce consumption”.

“Ms Turei accused me of being ‘callus’ for pointing out the cold hard truth that anti-consumer, anti-business taxes such as those on sugary products, lead to precisely the sort of distressing job losses she says she is concerned about,” says Jordan Williams, the Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union. "She's trying to have it both ways."

“Ms Turia has called for taxpayer-funded subsidies, or corporate welfare, to keep manufacturers operating in the regions. Maybe she isn’t aware that in 2007 New Zealand Trade & Enterprise paid a $2 million grant to Cadbury under the ‘Strategic Investment Fund’. Clearly, it didn’t work.”

“Instead of responding to the economic issue Ms Turei reaches for the personal smear lines. That says it all really.”

Ms Turei's original media release is available here: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1702/S00219/cadbury-closure-a-tragedy-for-dunedin-and-working-people.htm

The Taxpayers’ Union’s response is here: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1702/S00201/the-greens-must-be-kidding.htm

ENDS

© Scoop Media