Nationals Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, said today he was disappointed that the previous Government had bungled the introduction of laws to stop smoking in cars when children were present.
“I am not a great fan of smoking it can be said. I respect the right for adults to make their own decisions, but children in vehicles have no choice when exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke.
“Research has found that levels of tobacco smoke in cars can reach concentrations much higher than levels possible in homes or other enclosed rooms,” he said.
Mr Bull praised Nationals Member for Northern Victoria, Damian Drum, who has been a long term campaigner for laws to stop children smoking or being exposed to tobacco smoke.
“Mr Drum introduced a Private Members’ Bill in 2009 to ban smoking in cars when children were present and a range of other reforms designed to make it harder for children to obtain tobacco or be exposed to it,” said Mr Bull.
“This Bill passed through the Upper House, but in a shock move, Labor blocked it from even being debated in the Lower House. The Brumby Government then brought in its own legislation which wasn’t adequate.
“In essence the way Labor mismanaged it meant the laws designed to stop adults smoking in cars when children were present could not really be enforced. This has all been at the expense of our kids.
“In the first 12 months of Labor’s version of this law, 292 infringements were recorded – but they could not be enforced,” said Mr Bull.
During debate on the smoking laws in parliament last week, Mr Drum was widely praised for his ground-breaking work in bringing in the Private Member’s Bill and the Health Minister David Davis has told Parliament he will fix the problem left by Labor.
“I pay tribute to Mr Drum who led the way by introducing measures to ban smoking in cars which carry those under 18,” he said.
Attorney General, Robert Clark, said in the Lower House “so it is an important issue. If any further support for the fact that it is an important issue is needed, it is remarks made by the then Minister for Health in a media release of 18 December 2009 announcing that the smoking bans in cars would take effect from 1 January 2010”.
“Research shows there is no risk-free level of second-hand smoke in confined areas such as cars, in fact the air quality when a person smokes in a car is similar to that of a smoky pub.
“The then Minister for Health, the current Leader of the Opposition, was absolutely correct in making those points. Unfortunately there was no man with a plan around at that time to ensure that the relevant regulations were made so that these infringements could be properly enforced,” Mr Clark said.