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“
Fire
commissioners, health and science leaders including three Australians
of the Year have written to state and territory Police and Emergency
Services ministers attending tomorrow’s (November 17) Police
Ministers’ Council, urging them to support a NSW government request
for the Australian Government to legislate urgently to mandate reduced
fire risk standards for all cigarettes.
The
21 high-profile signatories* have also asked the Federal Government to
play a role in co-ordinating national adoption and implementation of a
testing process, developed after an expert 2004 report to the
government which found tobacco-caused fires were causing at least
fourteen deaths and $52m damage a year. A
separate petition** of fire control, health and environment workers to
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has already gathered more than 2300
signatures. Signatories
to the letter to ministers include Australian Fire Commissioners,
Australian of the Year Professor Ian Frazer and former recipients Sir
Gustav Nossal and Dr Fiona Wood; the heads of three medical colleges,
the Australian Medical Association, The Cancer Council Australia,
National Heart Foundation of Australia and tobacco-health groups ASH
and ACOSH. Professor
Simon Chapman, initiator of the letter and co-author of the 2004
report, said Australia was slipping behind other jurisdictions in
getting reduced fire risk cigarette standards in place. “In
the last two years, Canada has legislated for mandatory RIP cigarettes
and six states of the USA have either implemented or at least
legislated for such a standard. The early signs are encouraging for
the impact of this measure on reducing fires. “A
testing procedure developed under Standards Australia is available for
use. At least one cigarette manufacturer, Philip Morris, supports the
introduction of this legislation.” Said
NSW Fire Brigades Commissioner Greg Mullins: “As we face the
prospect of another dangerous bushfire season, we ask all Australian
governments to unite urgently on this simple and effective measure
which firefighters know will reduce the number of preventable deaths
and injuries and the environmental and property damage caused by
cigarette-initiated fires.”
**
See petition of fire control, health and environment workers to
Attorney-General Ruddock This is a joint media release by ASH Australia, The Cancer Council of Australia and the National Heart Foundation of Australia Comment: Other signatories / Media info: Stafford
Sanders, ASH Australia
Ph. (02) 9334-1823 m.
0412-070-194
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Page last updated 16/11/06 |
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