Ministry okayed baby shot

Weepu and his daughter. Photo / Supplied

The Health Ministry had approved an image of All Black Piri Weepu bottle-feeding his baby before an onslaught of emails from breast-feeding advocates had the 2 second shot cut.

The axed shot, which sparked heated debate last month, was to have been part of a series of ads discouraging smoking, but it was removed after the Health Sponsorship Council sent letters to Plunket and the La Leche League.

However, official documents show that the council's youth manager, Susie Robertson, did not ask Plunket and La Leche for feedback. Rather, she wrote, "We thought very carefully before going ahead with this particular shot and will always consider supporting positive breast-feeding images wherever possible."

The council subsequently received dozens of emails opposed to the image and changed its mind.

In a report to his board in February, council smokefree manager Tane Cassidy said: "The Ministry of Health had signed this commercial off and supported the rationale for leaving the bottle-feeding shot in and briefed the minister."

But Cassidy told the board that in light of feedback from numerous people, the advert would be cut partly to keep Weepu and his family out of the limelight and because of concern that it could "cut across" another government-funded message.

The Health Ministry's acting deputy director-general, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, confirmed the ministry had initially approved the advert, "because of its appropriateness in terms of delivering a smokefree message".

But he said the council was able to make its own decisions.

"We supported the HSC seeking feedback from groups such as Plunket and La Leche League. When these organisations raised concerns, there was further discussion within the ministry and we concurred with the HSC's decision to remove the clip to ensure consistency with overall public health messages."

Responding to Robertson's letter, La Leche League chief executive Alison Stanton said the advert showed those behind the funding and making the commercial "do not understand the issues around promoting, protecting and supporting breast-feeding".

She said it was widely recognised that images of bottle-feeding "strongly negate" messages promoting breast-feeding.

In the days following the initial contact, the council received 67 emails asking for the shot to be removed.

In other emails, council chief executive Iain Potter told senior Health Ministry staff there had been a "hysterical response from some La Leche members".

This meant "all and sundry across the health sector" became involved and only served to slow what had been a "considered and rational consideration of options".

After the Herald on Sunday revealed the axing of the bottle clip, another 60 protested at the removal.