Missing the difference

The ultimate nanny state bill is being pushed through Parliament, having survived select committee. And the Greens say:

The Green Party said the bill would mean the health minister could issue regulations to reduce the risk associated with non-communicable disease.

“Given that poor diet is the leading cause of preventable illness and disease, it is vital that we take steps to create an environment which encourages healthy eating in New Zealand.”

The party said it was strange that there were virtually unlimited powers to prevent communicable diseases but little to prevent or respond to non-communicable diseases.

The Greens disagreed with part of the bill that allowed people who were not vaccinated to be considered a public health risk.

So the Greens (and Labour) think we need the same state powers for a communicable disease (eg bubonic plague) as we do for primarily self imposed conditions such as obesity.

If this law is passed, and not changed, then I predict it will become more unpopular than the EFA and the anti-smacking law combined. Give the state a few years of telling people what food they are allowed to sell or buy on what days, and you might be able to get the parties responsible for it below 20%.