Search

Budget 2016 will increase the tax on tobacco by 10 per cent on 1 January each year for the next four years, Associate Health Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga and Māori Party Co-leader Marama Fox say.

“Raising the price of tobacco is the single most powerful tool to reduce smoking.  All smokers will face the price rises. The more they smoke, the more they pay. The more they pay, the greater the incentive to quit,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Budget 2016 will allocate $6.4 million of new operating funding over four years for Pacific peoples initiatives, Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says.

Funding for Vote Pacific Peoples is at its highest level with $9.9 million allocated in 2016/17, up 25 per cent since 2008/09.

The largest funding increase, $4.6 million over four years, is being allocated to Pacific Employment Support Services (PESS) to help young Pacific people in Auckland find and keep a job or find education or training opportunities.

Budget 2016 contains new funding to help pacific youth find work or take up suitable training programmes, Pacific People’s Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says.

$4.6 million is being allocated over four years to the Pacific Employment Support Services (PESS) to help young pacific people in Auckland find work.

“The programme identifies young people who need help. Staff place them in training programmes, then in to work or further qualification-based training,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.