Dairy owners are disappointed that a series of maps recently published by the government shows where “smoked tobacco” can be sold under new laws that will restrict tobacco sales. They say this move could lead to serious crimes like armed holdups, carjackings and even kidnappings.
The maps are categorised by region and show how tobacco retailers are spread across the country. Each pin on a map represents one store for general locations (not existing stores).
“Will the government listen? No,” says Sunny Kaushal, chair of the Dairy and Business Owner’s Group Incorporated.
“This is fake consultation because they’ve already made up their mind as they only listen to academics and theorists.”
Kaushal said cigarette sales are worth an estimated $2.4 billion, with more than $ 2 billion of that going to the government as excise tax and GST (goods and services tax), with average sales of $4 million per outlet or around $11,000 per day.
“If half of that’s in cash and the outlet at Cape Reinga, for example, is a two-hour-plus round trip from the nearest bank in Kaitaia, it creates thousands of incentives for a robbery,” he said.
Kaushal added that it’s “brilliant stuff” for the gangs, as it invites them to set up cigarette houses.
“At the Health Select Committee, a Labour MP asked why there were more cigarette outlets in South Auckland than in the rich eastern suburbs,” he recalled.
“That’s because there are many more smokers, so the gangs get a free market for “ciggie houses” with just one or even no outlets in Mangere.”
Kaushal said the map shows eight outlets in the deep south on SH6 after Wanaka heading to Jackson Bay on the Coast where there are few people, but none on the Chatham Islands or Stewart Island.
“So, is the government planning to gift the supermarkets billions more in sales?” he questioned.
“The government’s concentration of cash and valuable stock into 90 per cent fewer outlets will see larger and more vicious crime.”
He said it had been two months and 17 days since they met with the government and gave their manifesto to the police minister but had yet to receive a reply.
“Our blood is on this government’s hands,” Kaushal concluded.
