Hotels and Clubs Smoking Restrictions
Reverend the Hon. Dr GORDON MOYES: I ask the Special Minister of State, representing the Assistant Minister for Health (Cancer), a question without notice. Is the Minister aware of the recent report released by the Cancer Council, which shows that five bar staff are killed by passive smoke each month in New South Wales pubs, clubs and casinos? Is the Minister also aware of a recent study by the University of York that found smoking imposes a huge economic burden on society, currently up to 15 per cent of total health care in developed countries? Given that the Minister is on record that smoking bans are inevitable, will the Government urgently bring in smoking bans in pubs, clubs and the casino to save lives and help reduce the economic burden smoking is having on our economy, as has been done in the last fortnight in Norway and Toronto, Canada?
The Hon. JOHN DELLA BOSCA: I do not represent the Hon. Frank Sartor in this Chamber but I am happy to take on notice that part of the question relevant to the Minister. I think other parts of the question, in relation to smoking in workplaces, were addressed to me. Let me say very clearly that I am not in a position today to make any declarations about what I do or do not think is inevitable. But the WorkCover Authority and the Government take very seriously the impact of occupational smoking—so-called secondary smoking—on a variety of occupations, including that in the hospitality industry.
Legislation to protect people from exposure to environmental tobacco smoking is governed by two separate legislative instruments: those general obligations employers have in the hospitality industry under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and quite specific obligations that exist under the Smoke-free Environment Act 2000, which is the Act, I think, the honourable member is referring to when he talks about the administration of the Hon Frank Sartor. I understand that Act is due for review. Clearly that has an interrelationship with the current way in which the occupational health and safety laws relate to the specific group of people who work in contact with environmental smoke in bars, pubs, clubs and so on, and there will obviously be a Government position developed about that. I understand that there is a statutory obligation to review that Act and I think the Government will be in a position to make statements about that sometime in the immediate future.
As for my part of the question in relation to licensed premises and work force issues, as I said, WorkCover takes its responsibilities most seriously. The honourable member is probably aware of a number of actual cases at the moment in relation to the issue of improvement notices about environmental tobacco smoke and work force matters. A joint working group on smoking in licensed premises has been considering these matters. The group consisted of the WorkCover Authority, elements of the Hon Frank Sartor’s administration and the health Minister’s administration as well as the hotel liquor industry and representatives of the liquor work force. The Government is yet to take a final view on those matters. The Premier has made a number of statements in the past week or so also expressing views that we would need a gradual approach if there is an effect on jobs, but also a fairly definitive approach if there are undeniable effects on health. As I said, I cannot go into any more detail because a policy statement would be required, which I am not in a position to give.
Reverend the Hon. Dr GORDON MOYES: I ask a supplementary question. Minister, with five hospitality staff dying each month before you release that statement of policy, how many months will it be before that will be released?
The Hon. JOHN DELLA BOSCA: I think Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes would know the sad fact that if the latest scientific finding is that five people die each month as a result of occupational tobacco smoke, it would almost certainly be the case that it has been happening for some time. As I had forecast, the Government will move definitively in relation to this debate, however, I am not in a position to give a policy statement today. I have given the background to Frank Sartor’s administration and his consideration of that, which has drawn to a conclusion, although it has yet to be considered by Cabinet. I have given information about my portfolio and occupational health and safety issues. At the moment that is all I can provide. I expect that in the next weeks and months there will be formal consideration of the consultative process that the Hon. Frank Sartor has had in train and there may or may not be policy statements relevant to that.
