A LEGISLATIVE Councillor's push to outlaw cigarette sales to anyone born this century appears politically motivated, according to Opposition Leader Bryan Green. Legislative Councillors will today debate whether to support a world-first generational smoking ban, which would make it illegal for retailers to sell tobacco to anyone not 18 years old by 2018. Mr Green questioned Windermere independent MLC Ivan Dean's motivations in bringing the private member's bill forward. "I know that there are advocates to ensure we make the availability of cigarettes difficult but it seems to me that the way this legislation is being put forward is political," Mr Green said. "I think foxes have tapered off and there needs to be an issue." Mr Dean, a long-time anti-smoking campaigner and fox sceptic, will recontest his seat at a May election. Labor is running a candidate against him. Mr Green said cigarette regulation was best addressed at a federal level. The state government said yesterday that doubt still remained over the workability of the proposed ban. "The Liberal government supports realistic measures to making it easier to quit, easier to stay smoke-free, and measures to make it harder to take up smoking in the first place," a spokesman said. "We will listen with interest to the debate in the upper house this week, and we are happy to continue to discuss the proposal with Mr Dean, but we have doubts it will work." However, Mr Dean is confident he has the numbers to get the bill over its first legislative hurdle. "If it gets to committee stage I'm confident I can then answer any question members might have and secure the support to get the bill over the line," Mr Dean said. Western Tiers independent MLC Greg Hall said he would support the legislation. "I think the bill's pretty reasonable as it stands and the potential health benefits are huge," Mr Hall said. Most upper house members remain tight-lipped over whether they will back Mr Dean's proposal. But Rumney MLC Tony Mulder MLC said he would not. "It's placing an awful impost on a lot of retailers without anything to show it'll stop people taking up smoking," Mr Mulder said.
A LEGISLATIVE Councillor's push to outlaw cigarette sales to anyone born this century appears politically motivated, according to Opposition Leader Bryan Green.
Legislative Councillors will today debate whether to support a world-first generational smoking ban, which would make it illegal for retailers to sell tobacco to anyone not 18 years old by 2018.
Mr Green questioned Windermere independent MLC Ivan Dean's motivations in bringing the private member's bill forward.
"I know that there are advocates to ensure we make the availability of cigarettes difficult but it seems to me that the way this legislation is being put forward is political," Mr Green said.
"I think foxes have tapered off and there needs to be an issue."
Mr Dean, a long-time anti-smoking campaigner and fox sceptic, will recontest his seat at a May election.
Labor is running a candidate against him.
Mr Green said cigarette regulation was best addressed at a federal level.
The state government said yesterday that doubt still remained over the workability of the proposed ban.
"The Liberal government supports realistic measures to making it easier to quit, easier to stay smoke-free, and measures to make it harder to take up smoking in the first place," a spokesman said.
"We will listen with interest to the debate in the upper house this week, and we are happy to continue to discuss the proposal with Mr Dean, but we have doubts it will work."
However, Mr Dean is confident he has the numbers to get the bill over its first legislative hurdle.
"If it gets to committee stage I'm confident I can then answer any question members might have and secure the support to get the bill over the line," Mr Dean said.
Western Tiers independent MLC Greg Hall said he would support the legislation.
"I think the bill's pretty reasonable as it stands and the potential health benefits are huge," Mr Hall said.
Most upper house members remain tight-lipped over whether they will back Mr Dean's proposal.
But Rumney MLC Tony Mulder MLC said he would not.
"It's placing an awful impost on a lot of retailers without anything to show it'll stop people taking up smoking," Mr Mulder said.
