Illicit tobacco
David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:10): (1335) My question is to the Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, and it is a very simple question. How many tobacconists have been shut down since the introduction of the new tobacco licensing regime?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Environment, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (12:10): I thank Mr Limbrick for his question about our new licensing scheme, the first ever tobacco licensing scheme in the state’s history, backed by a $59 million investment in last year’s budget and this year’s budget. So I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the Treasurer for the additional investment and the additional inspectors we will be having on the beat. In relation to the closure powers, Mr Limbrick, I think you are pre-empting some of the debate in this chamber, as there is legislation on foot to bring to fruition the closure powers I promised earlier this year. They will be introduced shortly and will be debated in this chamber in the coming sitting weeks. Those powers will be in place so that landlords will be given powers to terminate leases where illegal tobacco is being sold, so we are empowering landlords, and we are also going to take tough penalties for landlords who knowingly allow –
David Ettershank: On a point of order, President, the minister has been asked a very simple question, and I could not hear an answer. If we could just have a little more quiet.
The PRESIDENT: I will uphold the point of order, not just for the members that want to hear the answer but the member that asked the question would probably like to hear the answer as well, so if we show everyone that respect that would be great.
Enver ERDOGAN: Thank you, President. I was being very relevant to the question. Mr Limbrick asked about closures of tobacco stores, and I think closure powers are coming into place shortly through legislation being introduced in the other place by Mr Edbrooke and will be debated in this chamber shortly. So those powers are coming into place.
In the meantime we are making, obviously, inspections. We are seizing products. About 4.5 million cigarette sticks alone have been seized since the regulator started enforcing our licensing scheme in February of this year. I can say that Victoria Police has issued over 350 search warrants, so this work has been continuing over a number of years. Over 200 offenders have been brought to justice and $50 million in illegal products have been taken off our streets by Victoria Police, and we will continue to do that work. But of course the legislation relating to closure powers will be introduced very shortly in the other place and then come to this place over the coming sitting weeks.
David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:12): I thank the minister for his answer. My supplementary question is that there were recent media reports stating that illegal tobacco shops were being pressured by organised crime into also selling illegal alcohol. What is the minister’s department doing about this?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Environment, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (12:13): I thank Mr Limbrick for these supplementary questions. These questions are really important to our state. We know that there are organised crime syndicates taking advantage of, I guess, the price differentials between legal and illicit products, whether that be tobacco or whether that be alcohol. Victoria Police has a taskforce that is focused on that work and supporting the industries affected, especially liquor retailers but also the world-class hospitality sector of our state that has been greatly affected. But I think questions about the operations and illegal behaviour – criminal behaviour – should be addressed to the Minister for Police in the other place.