Iain Lees-Galloway

Wellington, Sept 9 NZPA - A bill to have point of sale of tobacco advertising banned will be debated in Parliament after it was one of the latest member's bills picked from the ballot today.

Labour Associate Health spokesman Iain Lees-Galloway hopes the Moari Party will support his Smoke-free Environments (Removing Tobacco Displays) Amendment Bill.

"I know that Tariana Turia supports banning point of sale advertising and I hope she will use her position as co-leader of the Maori Party to encourage all of her MPs to vote in support of the bill," he said.

"There is considerable overseas evidence that banning point of sale advertising can help reduce smoking rates.

"Labour supported the National/Party when they raised taxes on cigarettes and now I hope they will support yet another measure to reduce smoking."

Action on Smocking and Health (ASH) director Ben Youdan said he hoped the bill received widespread support, as removing the displays would provide a supportive environment for those quitting smoking and protect children from being exposed to tobacco marketing.

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell's Gambling (Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill was also drawn from the ballot.

His bill aims at cracking down on gambling harm, by allowing communities to reduce or eliminate pokie machines from their areas, introduce player tracing and pre-commit cards and ensure pokie profits are put back into the communities.

"Gambling harm destroys families, threatens relationships and undermines community wellbeing and it is time this country's law makers got serious about it," he said.

"We will be applying the same passion on this issue that we have on tobacco because this is a social hazard that Maori and the nation can do without."

Labour MP Brendon Burns' Environment Canterbury (Democracy Restoration) Amendment Bill and Labour MP Phil Twford's Depleted Uranium (Prohibition) Bill also got picked.

Mr Burns' bill seeks to have elections for Ecan. Labour disagreed with the government decision to replace regional council and put control in the hands of commissioners.

Mr Twford's bill seeks to ban the possession, use, sale, manufacture, testing and transit of uranium in all conventional munitions and armour within New Zealand.