The Public Health Bill was introduced into Parliament in November 2007. It had its first reading in December and was referred to the Health Select Committee. The Committee heard oral submissions during March and April and reported back to Parliament on 26 June 2008.
The Bill will not be passed into law before the election on 8 November 2008.
FOE has mixed reactions about the Bill. We are pleased that the Health Committee has recommended retaining the provision for future governments to make regulations to reduce obesity. But we are disappointed that the ability to do this has been watered down.
REPORTS
Download the Health Committee’s report, June 2008.
Read FOE’s media statement about the Health Committee’s report.
A new report analysed the submissions on the Public Health Bill. It found that the food industry has been giving a misleading message about how the health sector wants to address obesity.
MAKING A SUBMISSION ON THE BILL
FOE’s Information Sheet explains why we think retaining regulation-making powers in the Bill is crucial and how they might be used.
Read our fact sheets about the Bill. (Scroll down)
Read FOE’s initial views on the Bill (Public Health Bill Surprises)
Read our submission (PDF)
MEDIA COVERAGE
They Work For You is tracking the Bill’s progress through Parliament.
Read some of the media coverage about the Bill.
SUBMISSION HEARINGS
30 April
38 groups appeared before the Committee including NZ Television Broadcasters Council, Media Works, the National Heart Foundation, Nestle, Coca-Cola, Frucor Beverages, Progressive Enterprises, and Professor Robert Beaglehole.
Read more about Professor Beaglehole’s presentation. (Stuff)
23 April
FOE was one of 31 groups presenting an oral submission to the Committee on the 23rd. During the morning, several public health groups appeared, including the Public Health Association, as well as Professors Jim Mann, Janet Hoek and Grant Schofield, and Associate Professor Michael Baker and Dr Nick Wilson.
Many food and advertising industry groups appeared in the afternoon. These included NZ Food and Grocery Council, Confectionery Manufacturers, Assoc of NZ Advertisers and the Food Industry Group. FOE and the Obesity Action Coalition appeared in the middle of them.
Read more about the hearing (NZ Herald)
9 April 2008
Sport Wellington Region, NZ Nurses Organisation, Media Freedom Committee of the Commonwealth Press Union, Publishers’ Assoc, Quigley and Watts, Regional Public Health, NZ Medical Assoc, Mental Health Commission, Greater Wellington Regional Council, McDonald’s restaurants, Diagnostic Medlab, Alcohol Advisory Council of NZ.
2 April 2008
The Hospitality Association of NZ.
19 March 2008
The Committee heard from 12 groups including the Cancer Society of NZ and the Advertising Standards Authority.
Read the Cancer Society’s press release and submission.
12 March 2008: The Committee heard from the Chronic Disease Prevention Peak Group.
The Group is pleased there are regulation-making provisions in the Bill. The provisions are urgently needed to help change the obesogenic environment we live in.
Read more about the group’s submission. (NZ Herald)
