Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has given the Government a billion reasons to impose a sugar tax on soft drinks.
The British television cook, who has made it a mission in life to eliminate fizzy drinks from children's diets - even if some of his cake recipes are sweet - got very excited when the UK Government unveiled a levy on sugary drinks in its budget. The tax is expected to add $1.1 billion a year to revenue.
Oliver hailed the surprise tax as a sign that policymakers could be bold and brave when it involves health and vested interests.
He wasted no time challenging New Zealand and Australia to follow suit, saying that Britain had made a profound move which would "ripple around the world".
Perhaps. After resisting for years pressure from New Zealand health lobbyists to crank up soft drink prices with a tax, there are signs of a shift in the official line on sugar.