media release

Today Hāpai Te Hauora delivers the voices from Māori communities on the local board plans in Tāmaki Makaurau to the doorstep of Auckland Council.

This week the Department of Internal Affairs released the results of the "mystery shopper" audit of pokie venues. Casinos and smaller clubs and societies known as 'Class 4' venues were visited by actors trained to mimic problem gambling behaviour. The interactions with staff were evaluated to test venue compliance against regulatory requirements.

Hāpai Te Hauora supports new research on tobacco control published by the University of Otago in the British Medical Journal this month. "This is significant for the tobacco control sector" says Zoe Hawke, General Manager of the National Tobacco Control Advocacy Service for Hāpai Te Hauora.

The New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) and Hāpai Te Hauora are calling on Education Minister Nikki Kaye to back ‘water only’ schools. 

Together Hāpai the National Tobacco Control Advocacy service and ASH - Action for Smokefree 2025, are appalled that the tobacco industry is using a front group to complain about tobacco taxes

This year marks the inaugural year of the Dame Tariana Turia Award for tobacco control. Hāpai Te Hauora and the Cancer Society of New Zealand – Te Kahui Matepukupuku Aotearoa have launched the award in honour of our most fearless and untiring advocate, who championed the most significant tobacco control legislation in our country’s history, all from a minority party position within Government.

Australia leads by example in gambling harm reduction measures in the 2017 Budget. Hāpai Te Hauora and The Salvation Army urge Communications Minister Simon Bridges to consider similar regulatory interventions here. 

Yesterday Auckland Council decided to exclude investments in tobacco manufacturing from their updated Responsible Investment Policy. By making this decision, councillors are joining an increasingly large group of business, academic and community leaders who are unwilling to prop up the tobacco industry.

Why is the concept of tobacco taxes and punishing families continually dangled in NZ media? Because that is exactly what the tobacco industry and their associates use to ensure cigarettes are kept affordable and accessible.

This week the Bank of New Zealand confirmed a new responsible investment policy which will exclude companies involved in unethical activities.