6497 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health

6497 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health: Why did she proceed with reversing the Smokefree reforms when officials predicted savings to health expenditure of $5.25 billion, and increased productivity of $5.88 billion over the lifetime of the New Zealand population alive in 2020, with the reforms in place?

Hon Casey Costello: As I have previously stated, initial advice I received from the Ministry of Health included economic assessments that were based on out-of-date or incomplete information.