Politicians on fence over tobacco taxes
Political candidates are on the fence when it comes to taxing tobacco as some dairy owners make a move to rid their stores of the hot black market commodities.
Instead they say the way to combat relentless armed robberies is to put more community police officers on the beat.
After being robbed and ram-raided 10 times, Te Kowhai Food Centre owner Tao Liu has made the bold move to stop selling cigarettes in his Waikato store.
And, according to one of the country’s biggest tobacco suppliers, he could face losing up to 60 per cent of his typical sales revenue.
British American Tobacco New Zealand (BAT NZ) said that tax impositions on tobacco items would continue to raise prices on their products.
‘‘Ongoing excise regimes have made tobacco a lucrative target for criminals, with about 75 per cent of the retail price of a pack of cigarettes being government excise and GST.’’
In 2012 the average cigarettes was about $14.50.
An average pack of 20 cigarettes is now about $23.40 – a 60 per cent increase in five years.
Labour’s Hamilton East candidate Jamie Strange said the price of cigarettes needs to be constantly monitored.
‘‘I was talking to a dairy owner up in Hillcrest and he said one quarter of his profit is based around cigarettes, or people coming in to buy cigarettes and buying something else.
‘‘The price of cigarettes is a factor but the majority of the people believe in the goal of smokefree NZ. I think drug use and the rising use of P in our society is another driver – and we need to crackdown on P.’’
Labour would add 1000 police officers to the force nationwide.
Strange also wants to see a return to the community-based policing model.
‘‘There are 400 empty police stations across the country … Police officers will have their own patch and the people in the area will get to know them.’’
Labour had no specific policy when it comes to taxing cigarettes, Strange said.
‘‘We’re certainly keen to talk to dairy owners and work through solutions.’’
NZ First candidate for Waikato Stu Husband said the problem would get worse before it gets better.
‘‘People with an addiction are going to feed the addiction before they feed their kids and I’m not sure that taxing cigarettes is beneficial.’’
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‘‘Taxing cigarettes to the price they are up to now is fuelling it.’’
The former prison officer and Morrinsville resident said the closure of police stations, especially in rural areas at night, had also fuelled crime.
He said the party is promising 1800 sworn police staff, and a new police ‘‘flying squad’’ to tackle targeted crime. Lowering the criminal age of responsibility and introducing a ‘‘demerit system’’ for youth offenders would help police identify trouble makers earlier on, he said.
Green candidate for Hamilton, Sam Taylor, said the party was focused on tackling the drivers behind the crimes – poverty, education and getting people into jobs.
‘‘I think it’s really sad that business owners have to take these measures in order to keep safe.’’
‘‘These kids will steal clothing in order to have something cool to wear. The incentive to commit crime is around wellbeing and livelihood and we need to address poverty.’’
Working with local business associations and having a community based police officers in the neighbourhood were the best immediate short-term solutions, she said.
She could not say whether the Greens had plans around cigarette taxes.
National Hamilton East candidate and incumbent MP David Bennett could not be reached for comment.