SOLARIUMS

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (16:44): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Environment and Conservation a question about the dangers of solarium tanning.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: While the dangers of sun exposure are well known to South Australians, many people do not seem to understand the danger of solarium tanning, which can expose users to UV radiation up to five times stronger than direct sunlight. There are those who are trying to spread the message about solarium use, including the brave campaigner Claire Oliver, who passed away last year from melanoma triggered by her visit to a solarium. Will the minister inform the council what has been done to educate South Australians and protect them from the potential dangers of tanning beds?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister Assisting the Minister for Health) (16:45): I am pleased to report to the council that last week this government announced plans for new laws to improve the safety of South Australians choosing to use solariums.

The majority of South Australians are aware of the risk of prolonged sun exposure and generally heed the 'slip, slop, slap' message when outdoors. However, many South Australians still want to be bronzed South Aussies year round and may choose to tan using a sun bed or solarium to achieve the desired look. Particularly worrying is the fact that many people see solariums as a 'safe' tanning option.

As the honourable member said in his question, solariums use high levels of ultraviolet radiation to induce a tan. They can be up to five times the power of sunshine, which is obviously an incredibly powerful dose. International studies have shown the risk of developing melanoma increases by 75 per cent if a solarium user is under 35 years of age.

While there is an Australian and New Zealand standard applying to solariums, it is not mandatory, and surveys of solarium businesses have found that there is poor compliance to the standard, meaning that many consumers may be exposed to harmful levels of UV radiation in their quest for beauty.

As the minister responsible for protecting the community from the harmful effects of UV radiation, I propose, by early March 2008, to make regulations, under the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982, to control the solarium industry. The EPA has prepared drafting instructions for the regulations, and cabinet has approved the drafting of the regulations by parliamentary counsel.

The proposed regulations will require owners and operators of solariums to comply with the requirements of the standard. The regulations will also prohibit the use of solariums by persons under the age of 18 and by those people who have fair skin, which commonly burns and never tans and is often accompanied by red hair and freckles.

It is proposed that the regulations be reviewed after 12 months of operation. The regulations will introduce a requirement for owners and operators of solariums to be licensed. The moratorium on licensing is to allow time for owners and operators to receive appropriate training in radiation protection in the use of solariums. This training will be required to obtain a licence to operate a solarium.

These laws will have teeth, with penalties of $10,000 up to $50,000, or imprisonment for five years, or both for serious breaches of the legislation. The EPA will be responsible for enforcing the regulations and will consult with the solarium industry and other stakeholders on the requirements of the new regulations. Everyone has a right to feel good about the way they look. However, without proper regulation of the industry and education of consumers, the risks remain too high. Cancer should never be a price people pay for beauty, which is why I am pushing ahead with these tough new rules.