Page 3828 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 27 August 2008
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By far the majority of businesses selling legal products—and I repeat, they do so under licence—are fully in favour of the responsible sale of tobacco. You know that; they have told you that, minister. And so am I. It is always the one-tenth that ruins a really good piece of legislation. It can be a major plank in your legislation that will let you down, and people will let you know about that in October.
It is, once again, a great disappointment that the Stanhope government has failed to listen, failed to properly consult and failed to listen to the genuine concerns and address them through real and meaningful consultation, and not just with a few handpicked stakeholders. That is a pathetic way of carrying on. The one major area that needs more attention is, as I have said, in relation to the point-of-sale display bans of tobacco products.
We will not block this legislation tonight because 99 per cent of it is good, is proper and should be there, but we foreshadow that we will go back and talk to the community. You can sit there, Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, smirking and looking very embarrassed because you know that exactly what I am saying is true. This is your major failing. The major failing of this Chief Minister and his deputy and health minister is they think they can ride roughshod over the community; it does not matter. Let us just shove things through this place because we have got the numbers and we can do it and we will look really good.
Ms Gallagher: You are supporting it.
MRS BURKE: I am supporting it, yes. What they have failed to do is bring the community with them again. And the community will let you know. I will say to you that—
Mr Stanhope: I was smiling to hide the pain.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Cease interjecting, please.
MRS BURKE: It is all right. It is rather pathetic. If that is the best they can do, do their worst.
The visibility of tobacco products does not encourage people to take up smoking but informs those adults that choose to smoke what products are available. Like most other consumer goods, tobacco is already differentiated against at the point of sale. The purchase of tobacco products requires the interaction of a third party, the retailer, who can enforce the laws relating to the purchase of tobacco products, including age verification.
The antismoking organisations argue that tobacco is ranged in the vicinity of children’s products and confectionery. Untrue! How many lollies are placed behind the retailer’s counter next to tobacco displays? The impact that tobacco visibility has on tobacco consumption is also questionable. These are the things I think we need to investigate further. If we are going to do something, let us do it properly. And that is all I am saying.
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