Illicit tobacco
David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:13): (1439) My question is to the minister for liquor and gaming regulation. This morning Victoria helped Australia contribute to a grim milestone for our nation. In Footscray there was yet another firebombing attack, and this is our 300th in Australia so far since the start of the tobacco wars. My question to the minister is: how many tobacco-related firebombing attacks have there been in Victoria?
The PRESIDENT: I am not sure if the minister will have the level of detail, but I will let the minister answer as he sees fit.
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Finance, Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Government Services) (12:13): I thank Mr Limbrick, and I understand his question in relation to these matters and his long-term interest in these matters. It is a matter that I closely follow. You would appreciate that incidents of violence or arson are matters for the Minister for Police in the other place. For that level of data or the causation, some of these are ongoing investigations, and there might not be necessarily that causation or link proven. I am reluctant to comment on the correlation. Nonetheless a large number are related to what we are seeing in relation to tobacco, especially the proliferation of illegal tobacco, an issue that is causing national concern across the country. I am sure you are following the national debate. Premier Minns has spoken, leaders of one of the minor parties have spoken, I know the federal government has got a position and we have a position. Our position is that we are committed to stamping out crime in all forms, including that relating to the illicit tobacco industry. That is why we set up our first-ever regulator. That is why we passed closure powers in the last sitting week in this place – and I want to thank everyone in the chamber for their support for that part of the bill. We will continue to do more and work together with the Commonwealth to take tough action. There is a national disruption group that is working together with law enforcement, but I think specific incidents and the causes of criminal offences are questions for the Minister for Police in the other place.
David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:15): I thank the minister for that answer. Yes, there has been a national debate. Indeed last week the New South Wales Parliament tabled a report into the illicit tobacco trade, and frankly it is one of the best reports I have seen so far on this issue. Is the minister aware of this report and giving any consideration to it? In particular, one of the first findings of the report is that tobacco harm reduction should be one of the leading avenues to reducing the illicit tobacco trade, which I have been saying for years. I hope that the Victorian government will at least look at this. I would ask the minister: has he seen this report and is he willing to have a read of it?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Finance, Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Government Services) (12:15): I thank Mr Limbrick for his supplementary question. Of course I am aware of the report and what is happening in Canberra in relation to this issue, but in Victoria we have not stopped. We have got our new tobacco regulator in place that is taking action. It is working across agencies and across borders, because we know this issue crosses borders. Some of the discussion is looking at some of the underlying causes, whether it be the excise, the border settings or, obviously at a local level, the symptoms – the crime that we are seeing police taking an approach to. Some of the policies about harm minimisation I am careful about commenting too heavily on, except to say that we are committed to reducing harm. I am sitting next to the health minister here, who is leading a lot of that work in terms of the harm in relation to tobacco. Smoking rates are lower than what they have historically been, but there is clearly more work to be done.