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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-11-12 Daily Xml
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SOLARIA

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:01): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Will the minister update the council on the government's recent actions to implement the ban on solaria in South Australia?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:01): I thank the honourable member for his most surprising question. As honourable members may know, on Monday I was pleased to announce that the state government would be asking the Governor to make the Radiation Protection and Control (Non-ionising Radiation) Regulations 2013 this Thursday in order to ban the commercial use of cosmetic tanning units from 31 December 2014.

These regulations are, of course, in response to significant research into the safety of solaria and, indeed, a decision by the World Health Organisation to classify UV-imaging tanning devices as carcinogenic to humans. There is plentiful research that indicates that the use of solaria increases the risk of health effects on users, including melanoma. It also tells us that using a solarium before the age of 35 increases a person's risk of melanoma by up to 59 per cent.

Sun beds emit both UVA and UVB radiation, and these radiation levels can be up to six times higher than that of the midday summer sun. So overexposure to UV radiation plays a central role not only in the development of skin cancers but also in the development of eye conditions as well as the suppression of the human immune system. Cumulative UV radiation also results in premature skin ageing. The fact of the matter is that no tan is safe, but a tan from a solarium is particularly unsafe, and from 31 December 2014 businesses will no longer be able to offer the use of such devices for fee or reward.

Interestingly, an article in the Medical Journal of Australia has estimated that each year in Australia 281 new melanoma cases, 43 melanoma-related deaths, and 2,572 new cases of squamous cell carcinoma are attributable to solaria usage. This has an estimated cost to the health system of many millions of dollars but, of course, an immeasurable cost in lives, to families and communities.

This ban was first foreshadowed on 25 October 2012 by the former minister for sustainability, environment and conservation, the Hon. Paul Caica in the other place, and the then minister for health and ageing, the Hon. John Hill in the other place. This has provided a time frame of just over two years from the original announcement date to give owners and operators sufficient time to make changes to their business to avoid financial loss. Affected businesses have also been referred to the Small Business Contact Service to provide them with information and assistance in changing their business practice.

Nevertheless, until the ban on solaria takes effect, all licensing and regulatory requirements for solaria under the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982 will remain in place. This means that individuals will continue to hold a licence to operate cosmetic tanning units. These businesses will still be required to comply with the current regulations, including not allowing persons under 18 or persons with type I skin, such as myself—being fair skin that does not tan—to use solaria. Yet, we know from consumer tests or putting dummy consumers into solarium and tanning operations, that this advice is not given to all customers. We know that some tanning businesses do not advise people with type I skin that they should not be using the units, and hence our concern to get the message out to the public that they should not be using these units at any time.

They also will be required to supply a health warning that solaria can cause skin cancer and we will require them to put that in a prominent place. They also need to provide skin type assessments and conduct them with their clients. They must be supervised by a trained operator and informed consent will still be required from all clients, even though we know it is not sometimes sought.

It is my hope that this announcement will serve as a warning to South Australians that between now and the introduction of the ban at the end of 2014, they will think twice before risking their lives by using solaria. I also hope that all members of this chamber and all members of the other place will communicate this ban and the reasons for it in their constituent newsletters and other communications to their communities.

I would like to thank Cancer Council SA for their assistance in this endeavour. I acknowledge their excellent work in the community as lobbyists and also their support services for people suffering from cancer.

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