Thursday, 22 February 2024

Tobacco licensing scheme

Tim READ (Brunswick) (17:26): (547) My adjournment is for the Minister for Consumer Affairs, and the action I seek is for the minister to finally roll out a Victorian licensing scheme for the sale of tobacco products, including nicotine for e-cigarettes, or vapes. In August 2021 I addressed an adjournment to the then Minister for Health asking the Victorian government to introduce a licensing scheme for tobacco retailers. In response I was informed that the commissioner for better regulation was at the time conducting a review into Victoria’s approach to tobacco regulation. The 2½ years since have seen unprecedented levels of tobacco-related gang violence and arson attacks, illegal tobacco being sold under the counter and the rapid increase in nicotine vaping, particularly among children.

Incredibly, while this has been going on the Victorian Labor government has sat on the finalised Better Regulation Victoria report for almost 21 months now despite the report unambiguously recommending that the Victorian government introduce a licensing scheme for tobacco products and e-cigarettes, including wholesalers and retailers. Given the escalation in harmful public health and safety outcomes relating to tobacco sales over the last two years, it is unacceptable for the current government to blame its own disorganisation and machinery of government changes for its failure to act on the issue. It is much easier to regulate tobacco if we know where they are and who they all are. Right now Victoria is the only state where your cafe or your hairdresser could start selling cigarettes. Embarrassingly, Victoria is the only jurisdiction in Australia without a tobacco licensing scheme. It is beyond time for the Labor government to get on with the job of licensing tobacco and e-cigarette sellers.