PRESS RELEASE – Tuesday 12 April 2017

Hāpai endorses Auckland Council's stance against the tobacco industry

Yesterday Auckland Council decided to exclude investments in tobacco manufacturing from their updated Responsible Investment Policy. By making this decision, councillors are joining an increasingly large group of business, academic and community leaders who are unwilling to prop up the tobacco industry.

"What we're seeing is the snowball effect of more and more leaders taking a principled position on investment policy" said Zoe Hawke, General Manager of the National Tobacco Control Advocacy Service at Hāpai Te Hauora. "We recently welcomed a similar stance by the Bank of New Zealand, and it's not hard to see the positive flow on effects as more and more organisations make the right call to stop endorsing an industry whose product kills its customers".

"We pay tribute to our colleagues in the tobacco control and public health sector for influencing these moves. It is through the tireless efforts and advocacy over many years by many people, that organisations like the Council, universities, banks and other financial institutions can no longer see the benefit of supporting the tobacco industry. We commend the Council on this decision, and look forward to continue working with them to advance Smokefree 2025".

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