Briefing to the incoming parliament
Health Coalition Aotearoa has provided a briefing to the incoming Parliament (read here) today, setting out specific prevention actions and policies for the new Government’s first 100 and 1000 days to make a significant difference to the health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders.
First 100 days:
- Initiate consultation with Māori and Iwi providers about how to ensure better outcomes for Māori health, following the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora
- Urgently strengthen youth vaping regulations
- With Māori leadership, implement the tobacco control measures for Smokefree 2025 (denicotinisation, retailer numbers reduction and smokefree generation)
- Increase the alcohol levy to replace alcohol sponsorship of sports and events for a period of five years
- Commit to develop a national food and nutrition strategy within the term of Government
- Commit to baseline funding of Ka Ora, Ka Ako – the free healthy school lunches programme
- Instruct the Ministry of Health to develop and design a sugary drinks industry levy
First 1000 days:
- Achieve Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal for all population groups.
- Implement effective regulations to reduce youth vaping
- Achieve a reduction in alcohol harm with new, Te Tiriti-centred alcohol laws
- Expand Ka Ora, Ka Ako to 50 per cent of all schools
- Achieve a reduction in consumption of sugary drinks and reformulation of beverages with a 20 per cent sugary drinks levy
- Progressively increase the annual investment in prevention (public health) to 5 per cent of the health budget within the term of Government
