ASH Australia: 
Smokefree outdoor and partly enclosed 
public areas		  
 

See our  SMOKE-FREE OUTDOOR AREAS  resource kit for councils

and other  RESOURCES  for Local Government


See  LATEST NEWS  on smokefree local areas  and  WHAT'S BEEN DONE

 


Not only state and territory but local government can play a huge role in making communities safer, healthier and cleaner - by making local places (and their near surroundings) smokefree. These can include:

  • Playgrounds

  • Beaches

  • Outdoor ("al fresco") dining areas

  • Parks

  • Sporting facilities

  • Council buildings

  • Bus shelters

  • Council-owned car parks

The arguments
For some of these areas, the health arguments on secondhand smoke in crowded outdoor or partly-enclosed areas are strong - especially in al fresco dining or other staffed areas where workers are repeatedly or continuously exposed; or bus shelters involving extended waits in partly-enclosed areas. See  latest health evidence on outdoor areas   ... and more health research on secondhand smoke 

The case for making some other areas smokefree is based more on environmental benefit - for example, the butt litter problem on beaches, and litter or fire risks in parks. 

In still other cases, there are safety or public amenity issues. And there is a concern to reduce "normalising" smoking in view of children in areas like playgrounds and public pools.  

 

Reducing butt litter - what works and what doesn't

ASH encourages councils to be aware of the research on what kinds of measures actually reduce litter - most notably, extending smokefree areas. 

Independent evidence suggests that a public education / butt bin provision strategy by itself, as promoted by tobacco industry-sponsored campaigns such as the BAT-funded Butt Littering Trust, does little good.  
See  Extended Producer Responsibility report 2005-2006    p. 21: “impact of current activities funded by cigarette manufacturers has not delivered a reduction in butt littering.”   

Such disposal/education approaches may contribute as part of a broader strategy including smokefree policies; however, tobacco companies have instead put them forward as stand-alone alternatives, as part of a lobbying strategy against councils extending smokefree areas.  
Councils beware!  See  LATEST NEWS  below, BATA letter 2008 to Wagga councillor and ASH response  and 2006 article on  BAT's Butt Litter Trust   

 

 

 

LATEST NEWS

 BAT re-butted after misleading councillors 

27/11/08:  ASH has written to Wagga Wagga (NSW) Councillors answering misleading arguments of British American Tobacco Australasia in a letter to councillors. BATA has tried to derail a smokefree al fresco dining move by wrongly claiming that such policies hurt business and are opposed by tobacco control experts, and that BAT's Butt Littering Trust offers "evidence-based" alternatives.  See   ASH media release 27/11/08       See   excerpts from BATA letter and ASH response 

 

Community wants more smokefree outdoor areas
27/11/08: A survey of NSW public opinion has found strong and increasing support for smokefree outdoor areas including children's playgrounds and al fresco dining areas. The University of Newcastle / Cancer Council NSW survey of over 3,500 NSW residents found overall support for smokefree areas included: 89% for playgrounds, 77% for sports stadia, 68% for al fresco dining areas and 55% for beaches.  See  2007 Cancer Council - University of Newcastle survey  - see pp. 18-19;   and   ANZJPH article 2008 

 

 

WHAT'S BEEN DONE


QUEENSLAND
 12/11/08: Queensland has introduced legislation to make cars carrying children under 16 smokefree - just 18 months after rejecting the move. The bill also proposes to give local councils the right to ban smoking in public transport waiting areas, including bus shelters.  See  Qld health minister's media release 12/11/08   

 

The Queensland government has already banned smoking in all playgrounds, patrolled beaches and al fresco dining areas throughout the state in its legislation.  Result: "A high level of public and industry acceptance" of the changes.  See  Qld health dept report 2008

NSW         See  NSW councils smokefree policies chart   as at May 2008
Around 50 NSW councils - urban, regional and rural - have adopted smokefree policies.  Note that more councils have adopted measures since the chart was compiled.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
14/11/07: The Greens have introduced a Private Member's Bill into the SA parliament to ban smoking in children's playgrounds - as Queensland has done (above).  See  SA Greens media release 14/11/07 

 

WESTERN AUSTRALIA 
 July 2007: The city of Fremantle in Western Australia voted to start phasing in a total ban on smoking in outdoor dining areas. The WA government has so far rejected calls to follow Queensland's example and extend smokefree dining throughout the state.  See  ABC news report 26/7/07  and earlier  National Heart Foundation media release 15/3/07

 

 

RESOURCES  for local government


SMOKEFREE OUTDOOR AREAS resource kit for councils!

 

 

« Click on the playground to see our new Smokefree Outdoor Areas resource kit for local councils. 

Developed for World No Tobacco Day 2007 by ASH Australia, The Cancer Council NSW, the AMA (NSW), the National Heart Foundation of Australia (NSW) and the Local Government and Shires Association NSW. 
What every council needs to know about getting playgrounds, outdoor dining areas, parks, beaches and other council-controlled areas smokefree.

 

 


See Cancer Council NSW background page on  Outdoor smoking 

 

Our earlier Tobacco Facts for Local Government (November 2004) urged local councils to “Join the Smokefree Communities Snowball”!  The factsheet featured early moves in Queensland, around Sydney and in rural and regional areas.   

 

  
 

Page last updated 11/12/08