SUGAR TAX DEBATED AT SYMPOSIUM

Political parties have been grilled on the issue of a sugary drinks tax, at a panel debate the Government was conspicuously absent from. A potential tax on sugary soft drinks was the subject of emotive discussion at the fourth annual FIZZ symposium at Auckland University on Monday. Representatives from the Maori Party, the Opportunities Party and the Green Party all said they were in favour of such a tax. Meanwhile, neither Labour nor New Zealand First were prepared to implement one, although both parties said they were watching the issue closely. ‘‘Currently New Zealand First’s position is we don’t believe in taxed sugar,’’ said party MP Ria Bond. ‘‘We’re just quite concerned we don’t have an overall picture, [but] we are monitoring it very closely.’’ ‘‘The evidence is now overwhelming,’’ Otago University professor Tony Blakely stated from the audience. ‘‘This has moved into the territory of no-brainer. If you don’t get off the fence on this, you will be written down in history as having been on the wrong side of this debate.’’ Labour MP Jenny Salesa said her party also had no plans for a tax on sugary drinks. ‘‘We do not have a policy to tax sugar right now, but when Labour gets into government we will set reduction targets for added sugars, for processed foods for three years,’’ she said. The Government declined to attend the panel, but it has repeatedly ruled out introducing similar taxes here.