Just hours from the Fizz Symposium opening Mika Haka , Auckland Central candidate for The Opportunities Party states:

“Health Minister Jonathan Coleman's legacy will be the over proportional numbers of obese, diabetic and suicidal New Zealanders - more than this country has ever seen before.”

Recently announced as Auckland Central candidate for The Opportunities Party, MIKA, is challenging the next government to get serious about sugar.

“Why is it the number of New Zealanders living with diabetes has doubled from 125,000 to 250,000 in the past 9 years under this government, with 40 new diabetes diagnoses every day.” Mika asks.

“That is an indictment on this country. The fact that our statistics show diabetes is increasing almost 10% annually”.

“Under this Minister New Zealand suicides have made top of the world stats. He’s failed to show any vision for the future and will be responsible for higher obesity rates, increasing number of those diagnosed with diabetes and the deaths that are a result of these.”

“I challenge Jonathan Coleman as the Minister of Health to a debate, anywhere, anytime and anyplace before this election, to discuss the issues of his portfolio that are having a serious impact on some of the most vulnerable communities in this country. If he doesn't mind, I might also bring along my good mate Mike King to help me raise some equally important issues.”

“With Maori and Pacific Islanders being more than three times likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than other New Zealanders, it is clear that whatever preventive measures have been taken so far are not even as advanced as being able to put the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff yet.”

“Neither this government nor previous governments have had the courage to take the basic steps required to start making an impact in the lives of New Zealanders. So while National have done a terribly poor job - Labour had 9 years in government to try and achieve something in this area and did absolutely nothing.”

“The Opportunities Party proposes a unhealthy food tax to subsidize healthy foods. Easy! Simple.

Tax the unhealthy crap that we are selling off the shelves in our local supermarkets to help our nation build healthy families and healthy homes.”

"You would not sell meth ready to smoke off the shelf, so why on earth do we justify obesity or diabetes in a can ready to open" “The World Health Organization has encouraged all countries to impose a sugar tax, and evidence of similar initiatives like in Mexico shows this has had a significant effect, especially on lower income families.”

“By imposing a tax, case studies show that the first and most affected people are young people, and low to middle income families, where the added cost means sugary drinks are less desirable to purchase and consume. If we were really smart, we would then take our policy and work to subsidize healthy food like fruit and vegetables”.

"The only way to make this a potential reality is by giving the Opportunities Party your vote at this election".

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