TOBACCO PRODUCTS REGULATION (FURTHER RESTRICTIONS) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 29 February 2012.)

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (16:17): I have a very brief contribution on this bill. Family First is supportive of this bill and I understand that all members will support the bill, ultimately into legislation. I have a few comments in terms of what I see as the potential to improve the bill. The bill deals with the specifics of smoking exposure to children, and the like, and talks about specific distances from playgrounds, and all of that Family First supports. I do not think anyone has a problem with that necessarily in this place.

However, it is time we had a look at some of the bigger issues. We seem to be playing at the edges, to some extent. For instance, in the ACT and Queensland smoking has now been banned in any area where food is served. A typical scenario would be an outdoor area in a cafe, even in outdoor areas in hotels. In that state and territory the act of smoking has been banned in those areas. Certainly it has not destroyed their economies. There may be some varying views on that and maybe we should have such a debate.

Members may recall that I moved a bill in this place a few years ago to do exactly that. There was very little support for the bill at that time, but it seems that we are moving in that direction. Other states are doing that, so we need to look at that. There will be criticism of the bill—I accept that—but it is time that we understood that that is what is happening elsewhere. We may try to hold back the dam wall, but we are heading there anyway, and I ask the government to consider and look at it.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (16:19): I would like to take this opportunity to thank honourable members for their contribution to the second reading debate and I look forward to this being dealt with expeditiously through the committee stage.

Bill read a second time.