Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/2675-economic-costs-of-obesity-and-advice-on-sugar-sweetened-beverage-regulation-or-taxation on April 19, 2024 23:23

Economic costs of obesity and advice on sugar sweetened beverage regulation or taxation

Simon Thornley made this Official Information request to Minister of Health

The request was refused by Minister of Health.

From: Simon Thornley

Dear Minister of Health,

I would like to know what advice you have been given relating to the costs and regulatory options about sugar and sugar sweetened drink intake in New Zealand. I would also like to know, more broadly, what responses the government has considered to reduce the burden of New Zealand's obesity epidemic.

Yours faithfully,

Simon Thornley, PhD.

Member of FIZZ (Fighting Sugar in Soft Drinks)

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From: Gina Anderson-Lister

Dear Mr Thornley

On behalf of Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health, thank you for your email received 30 April 2015 requesting under the Official Information Act 1982:

• I would like to know what advice you have been given relating to the costs and regulatory options about sugar and sugar sweetened drink intake in New Zealand. I would also like to know, more broadly, what responses the government has considered to reduce the burden of New Zealand's obesity epidemic.

You can expect a reply within 20 working days from the date of your email being received in this office. Please note that a working day is defined in the Act as ‘any day of the week other than a Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Labour Day, the Sovereigns birthday, Waitangi Day and a day in the period commencing 25 December in any year and ending 15 January in the following year.

If a large amount of information has been requested or if further consultation is in order to make a decision, we may need to extend this date (this is provided for in section 15A of the Act). We will advise you if such an extension is necessary

Kind regards

Gina Anderson-Lister
Private Secretary - Health
Office of Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman

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Minister of Health

Dear Mr Thornley,

Thank you for your request, under the Official Information Act 1982
received by the Ministry on 4 May 2015. You have stated that you would
like to receive "responses that the government has considered to reduce
the burden of New Zealand's obesity epidemic".

The Ministry has reviewed your request and has come to the view that it
would require substantial collation.  I would like to try and rescope the
second part of your request so that the Ministry can provide you with
specific information that will be helpful to you.
 
We considered, under section 18A of the Act, extending the time limit, but
we do not believe this would enable us to respond to your request in its
current form.  

Could you please refine your request for official information to specific
types of documents, for example, are you happy for it to read:

1. "What advice has the Minister of Health received to the costs and
regulatory options about sugar and sugar-sweetened drink intake in New
Zealand since assuming office"; and
2. "What responses has the government considered to reduce the burden of
New Zealand's obesity epidemic during that time."

As you may be aware, there is information that may be of help to you that
is publicly available on the Ministry's website:
[1]http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/ac...

and:
[2]http://www.parliament.nz/resource/mi-nz/...
(specifically pages 22-33).

I hope you find these documents helpful, and look forward to receiving
your refined request for official information.

Yours sincerely

Hayley Robertson

Hayley Robertson
Policy Analyst
Policy
Ministry of Health
DDI: 04 816 4353

[3]http://www.health.govt.nz
[4]mailto:[email address]

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References

Visible links
1. http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/ac...
2. http://www.parliament.nz/resource/mi-nz/...
3. http://www.health.govt.nz/
4. mailto:[email address]

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From: Simon Thornley

Dear Minister of Health,

Thank you very much for your response.

I'm interested in the costs of the obesity epidemic, regulatory options that have been considered to reduce this burden.

My initial request was considered too broad. I'm happy to refine my request to that suggested by your policy analyst.

1. "What advice has the Minister of Health received to the costs and
regulatory options about sugar and sugar-sweetened drink intake in New
Zealand since assuming office"; and
2. "What responses has the government considered to reduce the burden of
New Zealand's obesity epidemic during that time."

Thank you for your time.

Yours faithfully,

Simon Thornley

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From: Gina Anderson-Lister

Dear Mr Thornley

Regarding your request for official information, I understand the Ministry has contacted you to ask that you refine your request, which you agreed to do.

The refined request is for: 1. "What advice has the Minister of Health received to the costs and regulatory options about sugar and sugar-sweetened drink intake in New Zealand since assuming office"; and
2. "What responses has the government considered to reduce the burden of New Zealand's obesity epidemic during that time."

Subsequently, we have decided to extend the period of time available to respond to your request under section 15A of the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). We have decided to do this because further consultation is necessary to make a decision on your request.

You can now expect a response to your request on, or before, 6 July 2015.

You have the right, under section 28 of the Act, to ask the Ombudsman to review the decision to extend the time available to respond to your request.

Kind regards

Gina Anderson-Lister
Private Secretary - Health
Office of Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman

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From: Gina Anderson-Lister

Attachment 02072015162010 0001.pdf
88K Download View as HTML

Dear Mr Thornley

Please find attached a response to your request for official information.

Kind regards

Gina Anderson-Lister
Private Secretary - Health
Office of Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman

________________________________

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