City of Melbourne dishes out 76 fines for lighting up in smoke-free zones

The City of Melbourne has dished out 76 fines across several smoke-free areas and a common excuse for not following the rules has emerged.

The City of Melbourne has dished out 76 fines for lightening up in smoke-free zones. Picture: David Caird

Smokers are lighting up in the city’s smoke-free zones ­despite laws aimed at butting out the behaviour being introduced almost seven years ago.

Four smokers were taken to court this month after failing to cough up and pay their fines for smoking in the heart of the city.

All four men claimed that they were not aware of the ­Melbourne City Council bylaws — despite being busted standing within metres of no-smoking signs.

The Herald Sun can reveal that the City of Melbourne has imposed 76 fines across ­several smoke-free areas since the by-law was introduced in 2014.

Anmol Dhakal, Rocky Fagaitua, Chiu Kam and Kishwa Ziard had their initial $110 fines almost doubled after they all failed to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.

They will also have to pay the council’s legal fees for the no-show.

Court documents reveal Mr Dhakal was spotted puffing on a cigarette while sitting on a Bourke St bench, directly between two “smoke-free zone” signs in June last year.

When asked by council officers why he was smoking, he said he didn’t know the city had smoke-free zones. And Mr Fagaitua was busted smoking within a metre of a no-smoking sign on Bourke St just a few days later.

There are currently 12 smoke-free areas in the central city, including parts of Bourke St. Picture: Tony Gough

A spokeswoman for the City of Melbourne said the council had taken an “educative” approach to enforcing the bylaws since their introduction.

“Our prescribed smoke-free areas are clearly marked and most people do the right thing,” the spokeswoman said.

“The City of Melbourne is committed to protecting the community from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and has a number of prescribed smoke-free areas across the municipality,” she said.

There are currently 12 smoke-free areas in the central city, including parts of Bourke St, Goldsbrough Lane, QV Melbourne, The Tan and Princes Park running tracks, Collins Way, Fulham Place and Market Street Park.

Last year, the council released a draft policy “Towards smoke-free”, which looked to outlaw smoking “throughout the majority of public spaces” over the next five years.

The draft paper also considered banning smoking at council-run and council-permitted events by 2025.