An RNZ investigation has revealed the Associate Health Minister Casey Costello rejected official's urges to retain parts of the smokefree laws she is planning to repeal.
The current law was set to slash the number of tobacco retailers from 6000 to 600, take 95 percent of the nicotine out of cigarettes and ban sales to anyone born after 2009.
Compromises that were rejected include increasing the cap on the numbers of stores selling cigarettes, and cutting a smaller amount of nicotine in cigarettes.
Casey Costello declined our request for an interview.
Labour party health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
