David Farrar: It shouldn’t take a Minister for common sense to prevail

Radio NZ reports:

The coalition has directed Health New Zealand to say “women” instead of “pregnant people” in its communications about health issues.

Associate Health Minister Casey Costello wrote to interim chief executive Dr Dale Bramley on 27 March, telling the agency to use “clear language”.

Dr Eric Crampton: RNZ remains on-form

There are a few basic bits of reality that I'd hope we could agree on.

Minister Costello has set a lower excise rate for heated tobacco products as a bit of a trial to see whether it proves successful in encouraging remaining smokers to flip to something less harmful.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: The solution to youth vaping is obvious

I'm completely puzzled about something, I'm really stumped by this.

And that is- why two Governments in a row now are pussy-footing around the vaping problem instead of just going hard and properly putting them out of the reach of kids.

The associate Health Minister, Casey Costello, has today announced a so-called crackdown on vaping, which includes banning disposal vapes.

Cam Slater: Let That Be a Lesson to You

The person who leaked the tobacco tax information has been sacked from the Ministry of Health. This should be a salient lesson to anyone contemplating leaking: there is a new Government and they take this stuff seriously; if you leak, you’ll be sacked.

JC: All Smoke, But No Fire

The Labour Party is desperate to light a fire under the Government’s tobacco excise increases. Unfortunately they have a very weak person on the job. It’s the former Health Minister Ayesha Verrall, who, going by her performances in the House, would be hard pushed to light a cigarette, never mind start a fire. The person she is up against is one lady used to the cut and thrust, namely Casey Costello. Casey, while new to Parliament, is not entirely new to politics through her time spent with the Taxpayers’ Union which is a battleground for taking on politicians.

Cam Slater: Right Back at Ya!

Labour, along with their handmaidens in the complicit media, have launched a full-on attack against the Government over alleged conflicts of interest with ministers and the tobacco lobbyists. It’s been a rather forlorn attack, but along the way 1News has doxed the Prime Minister’s sister in law, and the rest of the media have played along, hurling all sorts of allegation without any evidence or foundation.

Roman Travers: It seems the Associate Health Minister has lost the plot

For the record, New Zealand doesn’t have a minister for the tobacco industry. Or does it?

The Associate Health Minister, Casey Costello is being labelled by some as the Minister for the Tobacco Industry, based on a proposal that’s yet to be confirmed by Casey Costello, that she wants to see a 3-year freeze on the tobacco tax.

Casey Costello: Maiden speech

After six years of a Labour Government Parliamentary democracy in New Zealand is in a fragile state. With new MPs likely to have a significant influence over our democratic future, Breaking Views is featuring a selection of maiden speeches, which reveal deeply contrasting views... Here is the Maiden Speech of NZ First’s Casey Costello:

Mr Speaker, I begin by congratulating you on your appointment. It is evident it is well deserved and affectionately accepted. In the brief moments I have been here, I recognise that your judgment, fairness, and humour will serve us well in both maintaining order and ensuring that all voices are respected, while allowing for robust and engaging debate.