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National | Smoke-free

Nominations sought for inaugural Tariana Turia Award for tobacco control

2017 marks the inaugural year of the Dame Tariana Turia Award for tobacco control.

Hāpai Te Hauora and the Cancer Society have launched the award in honour of Dame Tariana Turia, who championed the tobacco control legislation from a minority party position within Government.

In her years of service to the wider New Zealand community, Dame Tariana had a number of achievements in this area, including excising tax increases, banning retail displays and introducing plain packaging.

While the actions of Dame Tariana have benefitted all New Zealanders, she has been a special advocate for Māori.  She fought for acknowledgement of tobacco’s disproportionate impact on Māori, and the identification of tobacco control as an issue of inequality.

Hāpai Te Hauora say this award recognises that some of the gains in health and well-being from smoking reduction have been inequitably distributed.  That this pattern is consistent across our Pacific nations, with indigenous peoples still suffering disproportionately from tobacco-related harm.

This award is in recognition of this challenge, to ensure that the gains from tobacco reduction are shared equitably between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.

Hāpai Te Hauora and the Cancer Society encourage nominations from anyone who works in tobacco control, and whose work displays the following:

· Significant contribution to achievement in indigenous tobacco control outcomes at a local, regional or international level that has had an impact at population level.
· Skills and success in generation and/or implementation of evidence, policies and public and political support for indigenous tobacco control needs.
· Persistence in the face of opposition and criticism in regards to indigenous people and their rights to a tobacco free generation.

Nominations for the award will close on September 1.

The winner will be announced at the biennial Oceania Tobacco Control Conference in October.