Te Pati Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is calling for a full inquiry into the Government’s tobacco reform actions.
She says Associate Health Minister Casey Costello deliberately withheld information about her agenda when pushing through smoking law changes under urgency.
The Chief Ombudsman has slammed the minister for her negative response to Official Information Act requests for documents relating to the decision to scrap new regulations which would have cut the number of outlets selling tobacco and lowered the percentage of nicotine in smoking tobacco.
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says Ms Costello not only blocked the media but brushed off written questions from Te Pati Maori as she undid the work on tobacco control started under the Maori Party by Hone Harawira and Tariana Turia.
“She’s been found wanting, that she wasn’t transparent, that she wasn’t following the rules of the system as a minister and she should be expected to do more than apologise. There should be a full investigation on what else has been hidden and how can we ensures she is accountable going forward,” she says.
Ms Ngarewa-Packer says the minister’s office was entirely dismissive, lacking in depth, and arrogantly conceited in their carelessness about being held accountable.
She will be making her own complaint to the Ombudsman.
Part of the information Minister Costello withheld was an assessment the tobacco reforms would have generated a $46 billion economic benefit by 2050.
