Smoking ban proposed for all Tea Tree Gully Council car parks at school, kindy and childcare centres
After banning smoking at all of its dog parks, Tea Tree Gully Council is looking to expand it to school, kindergarten and childcare car parks.
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Smoking could be banned by October at all Kindy, childcare and school car parks, where Tea Tree Gully Council owns the land.
The council will seek a report by September outlining all relevant car parks owned by the council — or ones it has “care and control of the land” — for bans.
In an official motion to elected members on Tuesday night, Cr Sandy Keane said she was recently told by a resident that a number of council car parks surrounding schools were not all smoke-free.
“I have received (feedback) mainly from Wynn Vale Kindergarten,” Cr Keane said.
“Parents complaining about people smoking … especially when they are picking up and dropping off their children.”
She said she wanted to beef-up smoking bans to protect children.
“Hospitals have a ban that covers their buildings and surrounding areas,” she said.
“So I believe that council policy should be the same especially around kindergartens, childcare centres and schools as young children and their families are moving through these spaces.”
Cr Keane hopes to have a ban in place by the start of term four this year.
“This would align with other legislation that prohibit smoking in playgrounds, areas specifically used by our children,” Cr Keane said.
Cr Lucas Jones said children who attend school should not have to put up with second-hand smoke.
“It’s amazing that this ban is not already in place to protect children from secondary smoke,” Cr Jones said.
“As a community we should do everything we can to protect children, especially from second hand smoking”
It follows a recently implemented council ban on smoking at its three dog parks.
The Messenger has asked council how many car parks will be affected.