Page 1502 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 6 June 2007
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The Tobacco Institute will make, or arrange to make, submissions to the Standing Committee. Our submission will endeavour to promote “choice” and the issue of indoor air quality rather than legislative action. We will continue to offer assistance to the National Body of the AHA.
Those comments turned up in American case. They are quite interesting, but they show how far we have moved on. (Time expired.)
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (4.45): Mr Speaker, before the luncheon break, the minister indicated that she might table the guidelines. I am happy for that to occur.
MR SPEAKER: You can table them any time you like.
Ms Gallagher: I table the following paper:
Tobacco control—Areas on which ACT Health consulted.
MR SMYTH: I thank the minister for that. It is important for the Assembly to be informed. Often things are put into the public realm that are not brought to the Assembly. As the body that legislates for and looks after the ACT, it is important that the Assembly is told in a formal way what is going on.
The autumn edition 2007 of Healthy Territorian, a newsletter for ACT health care providers, contains an article on health promotion. It does outline some of the things that the minister is consulting on. The article states:
“We’ll continue to investigate ways of building on the successful implementation of the smoking ban in order to deliver significant health benefits to Canberrans,” Health Minister Katy Gallagher said.
“The evidence is clear that everything should be done to prevent public exposure to smoke, and options currently under consideration include further restricting tobacco use in outdoor eating areas and at under-age functions.
“In order to reduce young people’s exposure to smoking and decrease their likelihood of taking up smoking, the government is also investigating prohibiting tobacco product displays,” the Health Minister said.
These are all worthy options to be considered. But I would like to take members’ minds back to the last appearance of Jim Shonk as President of Clubs ACT. In a speech to members at the Hellenic club he said, “Look, we know that it is coming.” I think he said, “We know that it is evil.” He said, “We indulge because we do,” and he went on to say that all the industry wanted was some degree of certainty. They wanted to know that if they invested in outside areas—and just about every club and pub in the territory has—they would have a chance to pay it off before a new round of investigations into what might be done to further tighten down smoking. He said, “This ban is only just coming into place and the government is already starting to look at it.” I know there is disquiet, particularly in the club industry, about what this will mean for them in respect of time frames to pay off, in some cases, quite substantial investment in outdoor facilities.
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