Smoking banned in NSW national parks 0:24
Environment Minister Rob Stokes has announced smoking is to be banned in NSW national parks.
- Sky News
- 16 Nov 2014
- News
COUNCILS should boot smokers from pedestrian malls and public transport waiting points, state Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said yesterday, leaving the door open to a statewide ban.
Mr Springborg noted that councils had been slow to exercise their powers and did not want to see them sit on a “sleeper power”.
“I would just say to other councils that you do have the power, please move to do it,” he told The Courier-Mail.
“When you have an existing power, it should not be a sleeper power, it should be used.
Local governments have been slow to ban smoking according to Health Minister Lawrence Springborg.
“Councils can do it, we’ve encouraged them to do it … other councils should actually just do it.”
Mr Springborg pointed to the example set by Premier Campbell Newman when he was lord mayor, saying the banning of smoking in certain areas transformed the city for the better.
The Parliamentary Health and Community Services Committee recently recommended the state review look at how local governments had used the powers to ban smoking at outdoor pedestrian malls and public transport waiting points.
“If current regulation by local government is deemed inadequate to protect the public from harm, consider introducing a statewide smoking ban at public transport waiting points and outdoor pedestrian malls,” the committee further recommended, along with a suggestion that other public areas, such as TAFE colleges, be considered.
Mr Springborg said he was extremely “anti-smoking” and would consider the proposal.
“I’m very happy to consider this in the future – very, very open to that,” he said. “I’m as anti-smoking as you can get.”
Cancer Council Queensland spokeswoman Katie Clift said the parliamentary committee’s recommendation was a positive step.
“Smoke-free spaces will protect people from the harmful effects of smoking, encourage more smokers to quit, and prevent more young people from taking up this lethal habit,” she said.