Media release: September 13, 2005
A
cystic fibrosis (lung disease) sufferer has written to NSW Premier Iemma, urging
him to ensure faster and tighter smoke bans in licensed venues so that she can
visit her local clubs.
The
letter comes as barworkers, entertainers, patrons, would-be patrons and health
workers rallied at lunchtime today outside NSW Parliament House in Sydney,
urging quicker and tighter smoke bans.
Sue
Briscoe-Hough of Raby, near Campbelltown in Sydney’s outer southwest, emailed
Mr Iemma in August this year, saying in part:
“I
have Cystic Fibrosis (severe congenital lung disease) and I can't visit a
club/pub to have a drink or a meal or play the pokies or see a show or just to
socialise, because I can't tolerate even a whiff of cigarette smoke - I can't
even go to see my own [singer-guitarist] husband perform in pubs/clubs!! As it
stands now with the partial bans, as soon as I walk into a pub/club, I can smell
cigarette smoke - and if I can smell it, then I'm inhaling it; and I have to
then leave.
“So
until the total bans are brought in, I cannot do any of those fun social things
because I sensibly choose not to destroy my lungs with cigarettes.”
Sue
is a member of her local Catholic Club – but is unable to enjoy the benefits
of her membership because the smoky venue is a barrier to her. As she wrote to
Mr Iemma, proprietors’… “argument
that they will lose customers/business is completely false, because all of my
non-smoking friends… can't wait until the total ban is brought in, because
they will then be frequenting the pubs/clubs much more often than now, which is
virtually never. If it's a success
in Ireland, then it will be a success here…. To me, this is a no-brainer of an
issue. I think any money lost in
excise will be gained in less strain on the future health system.”
Sue
was “very disappointed” to receive a form response from Mr Iemma on
September 8, passing her complaint to Cancer Minister Frank Sartor. She
describes the Premier’s response as “a cop-out.”
Says
Stafford Sanders, co-ordinator of the SmokeFree Australia coalition of health
and employee groups*: “There
are some two million Australians with disabilities affected by smoke –
including sufferers of heart, respiratory, diabetic and many more conditions.
Many of these people are service veterans, denied a chance to socialise at their
smoky local. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has already ruled
in a cystic fibrosis case that smoky venues are as much a barrier to respiratory
sufferers as are steps to a person in a wheelchair.
“Why
then is this blatant discrimination allowed to drag on? The only fair solution
is to make all licensed venues quickly and totally indoor-smokefree. But some
states – notably NSW, Victoria, South Australia, ACT and the NT – are being
very weak and slow in their smoke bans, leaving people out in the cold.”
Comment:
Sue Briscoe is available for interview/photos via:
Comment
/ media:
Stafford Sanders, SmokeFree Australia
ph. (02) 9334-1823 m.
0412-070-194
SmokeFree Australia coalition
for clean safe workplaces:
Liquor,
Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers’ Union; Musicians’ Union of Australia; Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; Australian Council of
Trade Unions; Action on Smoking and Health Australia; The Cancer Council
Australia; National Heart Foundation of Australia; Australian Council on Smoking
and Health; Non-Smokers’ Movement of Australia; Australian Medical
Association; Asthma and Allergy Research Institute.