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Govt passes legislation to hike tobacco prices

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Fri, 27 May 2016, 4:29PM
Photo / File
Photo / File

Govt passes legislation to hike tobacco prices

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Fri, 27 May 2016, 4:29PM

The Maori Party's Budget deal to raise tobacco prices is now law.

Parliament has passed legislation that will hike taxes by 10 percent annually for the next four years

Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox said it's not about cracking down on smokers - she said something has to be done to address Maori smoking rates and smoking-related deaths.

"Because this is about whakapapa, this is about retaining our whakapapa for our future, for our tamariki mokopuna. We are losing our people far too early."

All parties bar ACT and New Zealand First supported the move.

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