Media release: July 24, 2009
Employee
and health organisations have welcomed a landmark NSW court decision upholding
smokefree licensed venue laws, but expressed concern that the venue prosecuted
has escaped with a light penalty.
The
The decision was the first to apply a NSW Supreme Court ruling defining
“enclosed” areas where smoking is not permitted under the Act.
Says Stafford Sanders, co-ordinator of the SmokeFree Australia coalition
of employee and health organisations:
“This clarification of where venues can and cannot permit smoking is
welcome – but the Kemps Creek Club should consider it has escaped lightly with
a fine of just $1500 for seriously
endangering public and employee health.
“A venue that has not even satisfied the very weak NSW smokefree
workplace laws has demonstrated that it does not take seriously its
responsibility to protect employees and patrons from the known serious health
hazard of secondhand smoke.
“Would we treat so leniently a venue which exposed people to another
airborne carcinogen – asbestos for example?”
SmokeFree
Comment:
Stafford Sanders, SmokeFree
* SmokeFree Australia coalition
for clean safe workplaces:
Action
on Smoking and Health Australia; Asthma and Allergy Research Institute;
Australian Council of Trade Unions;
Australian Council on Smoking and Health; Australian Medical Association; Cancer
Council Australia; Heart Foundation;
Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers’ Union; Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; Musicians’ Union of
Australia;
Non-Smokers’ Movement of Australia