City of Melbourne councillor advocates for smoke-free CBD

Melbourne is about to get another smoke free zone, with one of the biggest and busiest areas in the city set to force smokers to butt out. And more may soon follow.

Smoking in the inner city could eventually be banned except for special areas set aside for tobacco users.

As Bourke St Mall goes smoke-free on Friday, a City of Melbourne councillor has envisioned a future ban across the whole CBD.

People city portfolio chair Beverley Pinder said support for such a move was growing in the council and community, but any move would have to be coordinated with state government laws and policies.

“I will be encouraging council to advocate for a smoke-free city,” she told the Herald Sun.

Cr Pinder said that under a ban, special smoking zones could be an option in certain parts of the CBD.

Bourke St will be smoke-free between Elizabeth St and Russell Place.

“The Supreme Court area (around William St) where stress levels are very high - do we need to consider smoking booths like exist in Japan,” she said.

The CBD now has 11 smoke-free areas, with the Bourke St zone extending from Elizabeth St to Russell Place.

Vaping is still allowed in those areas, but this could change as the council reviews its local laws to bring them into line with the state Tobacco Act.

People who flout the smoking bans face a $100 fine, but the council has indicated it won’t prosecute smokers in Bourke St for some months, preferring an education process initially.

Smoke-free zone signs in English, Mandarin and Arabic will be installed.

Artist Ulla Taylor works on a mural that’s been commissioned to coincide with the Bourke St Mall going smoke-free. Picture: Tony Gough

Cr Pinder said council surveys showed huge support for the ban, and even 40 per cent of smokers said it would encourage them to quit.

“This is about improving health and wellbeing for everyone and we’ve consulted with a range of stakeholders including universities whose students use the area, the Council for Homeless Persons, buskers, VicHealth, and Quit Victoria,” she said.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the ban would clear the air for the 60,000 visitors, residents and workers who use the mall daily.

“Every year about 4000 Victorians die from smoking-related illnesses, and it affects the health and wellbeing of thousands more,” she said.

“There is no safe level of exposure to smoking.”

A section of Bourke St is about to go smoke-free. Picture: Tony Gough

Quit Victoria director Dr Sarah White said she hoped the city council’s move would be taken up by other councils.

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“We get quite a few inquiries from traders, members of the public and local government staff asking how amenity and safety can be improved in public spaces,” she said.

“It’s important to note that people who are trying to quit find smoke-free spaces incredibly helpful.”

Other inner city smoke-free areas include QV Melbourne, The Causeway, Block Place, and The Tan and Princes Park running tracks.

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