Tobacco Reforms

Tobacco Amendment Act 2005
A progressive tobacco reform program commenced on 1 July 2001, regulating smoking behaviour in indoor premises, restricting retail advertising and providing harsher penalties for selling cigarettes to minors. On 10 August 2005, the latest Tobacco (Amendment) Bill was passed by Parliament.

The new amendments include:

From 1 March 2006

.  No smoking in any enclosed workplace (excluding licensed premises)
.  Restriction of vending machines to bar or gaming areas of licensed premises and in sight of a service area.
.  Prohibiting non branded tobacco advertising (eg. matches / lighters) or buzz marketing (use of auditory or visual prompts to remind of previous ads /brands)
.  No smoking in covered areas of train stations
.  No smoking at under age music / dance events

From 1 July 2007

. All licensed premises currently exempted from the smoke free workplace legislation will be required to ban smoking in enclosed areas from 1 July 2007.

No smoking will also be required in outdoor drinking or dining areas where there is a roof in place and walls covering more than 75% of the notional wall area.

No smoking signage will be required to be displayed in no smoking areas.

What do the new laws mean for Licensed Premises?

From 1 March 2006

VENDING MACHINES
Vending machines will only be able to be located in licensed premises as follows:

.  In a bottle shop - immediately adjacent to the service counter.
.  In a bar area - in line of sight of the bar and not more than 5m from the outer edge of the bar
.  In a gaming area - in line of sight of a service counter

From 1 July 2007

NO SMOKING
.  No smoking will be allowed in any indoor area.
.  No smoking will be allowed in any outdoor dining or drinking area if that area has a roof and 75% of the wall area enclosed.

SIGNAGE
"NO SMOKING" signs will need to be displayed and be visible from all entry points or from within the "no smoking" areas.

Signage will be available from Council's Public Health Unit or businesses will be able to customize their own signs, providing the following conditions are met:

.  A "no smoking" symbol in the form of a circle and diagonal line printed in red over a depiction of a cigarette and smoke printed in black, or other symbol that clearly indicates that smoking is not permitted, with the symbol being at least 70mm in height; and

.  The phrase 'No Smoking' or 'Smoking Prohibited' or other wording that clearly indicates that smoking is not permitted, in letters that are at least 20mm in height.

Please be aware that any structural alterations to your premise may require Building or Planning Department approval. The contact numbers for these units are - Building 9205 5356 and Planning 9205 5373.

• Clarification-outdoor dining drinking
• Tabbacco fact sheet dec 06
• Yarra Info Sheet

 

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Further information

Access Yarra
Telephone 9205 5555
Email info@yarracity.vic.gov.au

Links

Within this site
Yarra City Councl

 

Information supplied by: Electronic communications & design officer - 9205 5214

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