Deliver us from evil
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 18:45 David Seymour, leader of the ‘neoliberal’ ACT Party in New Zealand, is currently on a private visit to the UK.
Last night, at an ‘Enlightenment Evening’ event hosted by the Adam Smith Institute at the National Liberal Club in London, Seymour was asked about the generational tobacco ban which he helped repeal in his own country.
ACT, I should explain, is one of two junior partners in a three-party coalition government led by the centre right National Party, and two weeks ago Seymour was sworn in as deputy prime minister.
ACT was strongly against the generational tobacco ban introduced by Jacinda Ardern’s Labour government (which was due to be implemented from 2027), and according to some reports the party was "insistent", prior to entering into a coalition, that the law be reversed.
Seymour’s role in persuading the National Party to repeal the ban can’t be underestimated because in 2021 it was reported that Christopher Luxon, leader of the National Party and now PM, was ‘broadly’ supportive of the policy.
In December 2022, responding to a New York Times report about the New Zealand tobacco ban, Seymour wrote:
Some people have forgotten that, in a free society, politicians shouldn’t force their authoritarian worldview on adults who are hurting no one but themselves.
Last night, when asked about the generational ban, he didn’t hold back. It’s “quite evil in a way”, he said.
“Smokers are fiscal heroes,” he added. “If you want to save your country’s balance sheet, light up.”
Guido Fawkes has the full quote, and exclusive story, here.
See also: New Zealand - meet the new boss, same as the old boss? (January 2023)
Reader Comments (2)
"Neoliberal" seems to be a term used these days to describe anyone who disagrees with far left activists or puritanical health and control freaks.
Neoliberal or not, what he says makes sense. The smoking ban is evil because it encourages dangerous black market criminals, it removes all good protection to stop kids smoking, and it criminalises law abiding people simply because those with extreme power do not like how people who smoke choose to live their lives.
As I have said before, this vile piece of legislation only uses "the children" as an excuse to criminalise all smokers including adults. As soon as the anti smoker bullies get it, they will demand the next logical step to make smoking illegal for everyone and they will then encourage Joe public in the street, and neighbours at home, to report the "crime" of smoking wherever they see it.
Evil is exactly the right word for this dangerous piece of bullying and discriminatory legislation.
We believe tobacco's benefits outweigh any risks. Benefits include significant pleasure, critical weight control, improved concentration, & the easing of depression & anxiety. Renowned medical commentator, Dr. Andrew Weil wrote in his book Health & Healing: "I meet men & women in their 70s & 80s who have smoked two to three packs a day since adolescence & appear in better respiratory shape than some younger people who do not smoke."