Media release: October 4, 2006
Bar workers, entertainers and major health
groups have called for urgent intervention by NSW and Victorian Premiers to sort
out the “weak, unworkable chaos” of the two states’ smokefree laws.
The
SmokeFree Australia coalition,* including the ACTU, barworkers’ and
entertainers’ unions as well as the AMA, Cancer Council, Heart Foundation and
other health groups, has called on the Premiers to tighten up on unsafe smoky
workplaces to protect public health and occupational safety.
SmokeFree
Australia has written to NSW Premier Morris Iemma, urging his personal
intervention to tighten up the smokefree bars along the lines of Queensland and
Tasmanian legislation which ensures remaining smoking areas are substantially
unenclosed, separate and unserviced.
Local
councils in NSW have expressed concern at a rash of applications for
mostly-enclosed and staffed smoking rooms which would encourage breaches of the
OH&S and Disability Discrimination laws by exposing employees, patrons and
neighbours to known seriously harmful levels of secondhand smoke.
SmokeFree
Australia has also welcomed reports that Victorian Premier Steve Bracks intends
to change his state’s legislation to resolve inadequacies in the present
partly-enclosed allowance after a tribunal decision involving footpath smoking.
But
the coalition says any changes should be undertaken only after full consultation
with the endangered barworkers, and with public health and occupational safety
the overriding considerations.
Says
SmokeFree Australia co-ordinator Stafford Sanders: “We have already seen too
much of governments sidelining the most affected stakeholders – the barworkers
and entertainers – from significant decisions about their unsafe workplaces.
This has resulted in a backdown to powerful gambling interests and a retreat
from the promise of total indoor smoke bans.
“We
call on Premiers Bracks and Iemma to engage us in urgent and meaningful
discussions towards breaking the deadly link between working and smoking areas.
“Both
Queensland and Tasmania have shown that this can be done realistically. The
community has shown in several polls that it is strongly in support of all
indoor areas, including partly-indoor, becoming quickly and totally smokefree.
This is also supported by a majority of licensed venue patrons and a majority of
smokers.
“The
last thing the people of NSW and Victoria would want to see now is any further
weakening at the behest of the tobacco-friendly gambling bosses.”
Comment:
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.