[Greens-Media] Media Release: Victorian Government fails integrity test over smoking in outdoor dining areas

[Colleen.Hartland at parliament.vic.gov.au]

As South Australia locks in smokefree outdoor dining from July 2016, the 
Victorian Greens have accused the Victorian Coalition Government of 
failing the integrity test by accepting massive donations from the 
Australian Hotels Association and being the only state in Australia that 
has not banned smoking in outdoor dining areas. 

?Victoria and South Australia are the only states that haven?t already 
implemented smoking bans in outdoor dining areas. Now South Australia has 
locked it in for July 2016. Victorian is out on a limb and looking dubious 
for failing to act,? said Victorian Greens health spokesperson Colleen 
Hartland.

?The Napthine Government has no backbone when it comes to making outdoor 
dining areas smokefree because it fears loosing hundreds of thousands from 
the Australian Hotels Association for its election slush fund.? 

?In 2012-13, the Australian Hotels Association donated over three hundred 
thousand to the Victorian Liberal Party and over twelve thousand to the 
Victorian Nationals.? 

?By accepting donations from the Australian Hotels Association and not 
legislating to make outdoor dining areas smokefree, the Napthine 
Government has failed the integrity test.? 

?If we are going to talk about the undue influence of wealthy lobby 
groups, we should look no further than this cosy little relationship.? 

?Next week the AMA Dirty Ashtray award will be announced on World No 
Tobacco Day. The Victorian Government risks being awarded it for the third 
year running due to its failure to make outdoor dining areas smokefree.? 

?Making outdoor dining and drinking areas smoke-free is the single most 
effective reform the Victorian Government could make to reduce the take up 
of smoking by young people, help people quit and would benefit the whole 
community who don?t want smoke in their face as they eat.? 

The Australian Hotels Association in 2012-13 donated $306,250 to the 
Victorian Division of the Liberal Party of Victoria and $12,070 to 
National Party of Victoria*. 

* Source: 
http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/Donor.aspx?SubmissionID=51&ClientID=28899 

For media comment: Colleen Hartland 0417445845 


Colleen Hartland MP
Western Metropolitan Region
colleen.hartland at parliament.vic.gov.au
03 9689 6373
vicmps.greens.org.au/colleenhartland
facebook.com/colleenhartland




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Parliament of Victoria                                                                                                                    . 

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