3905 (2024). Hon Jenny Salesa to the Minister of Customs

3905 (2024). Hon Jenny Salesa to the Minister of Customs: Has the Minister sought any advice on excise tax on tobacco products, and if so, when and what was the advice, if any, that she received since becoming Minister, by subject and date?

Hon Casey Costello: On 28 November 2023 Customs provided me an Aide Memoire regarding the Excise and Excise-Equivalent Duties Table (Tobacco Products Indexation) Amendment Order 2023 to prepare me for taking that Order through Cabinet Committee. Cabinet agreed to the proposal and consequently excise on tobacco products increased by 5.64 percent (the one-year increase in the All-Groups Consumer Price Index (excluding credit services) to 30 September 2023) on 1 January 2024. I requested a briefing on illicit tobacco in New Zealand. The briefing that Customs provided me on 6 December 2023 included discussion of tobacco excise tax.