Smoke-free Melbourne: How push to expand no-smoking zones has sparked backlash

Plans to expand no-smoking zones in the city have ignited a council feud, with concerns the “extraordinarily arrogant” move will shame smokers. Have your say.

A policy to radically expand smoke-free areas in inner Melbourne has divided the city council amid claims the push is “arrogant” and “extraordinary overreach” by a local government.

City of Melbourne currently has 11 no-smoking zones, including several CBD laneways and The Tan and Princes Park running tracks.

But a policy approved by city councillors this week would see smoking bans extended to busy shopping and tourist areas, around key transport hubs, and on public roads and pedestrian areas by 2025.

Councillor Roshena Campbell, who was elected on Lord Mayor Sally Capp’s ticket, said the move shamed smokers when the council should be doing everything it could to attract more people to the city.

More parts of Melbourne’s CBD could be declared no-smoking zones under the plan. Picture: Eugene Hyland

“This is incredible overreach from a local government, it takes the nanny state to the next level,” she told a meeting.

“It is extraordinarily arrogant for us to say to the 10 per cent of people in this state who choose to smoke, that you are not welcome in this city.”

“We need to drive visitation, and not imposing conditions on who is welcome and what habits we’ll allow them to engage in when they come to this city.”

Also opposing the motion was councillor Elizabeth Doidge, a CFMEU official, who said that workers and visitors to the city who couldn’t control where they smoked would be at a major disadvantage.

But Ms Capp said that smoking was a major health issue, and currently only a tiny percentage of the inner city had smoking bans.

“The 10 per cent of people that want to smoke have the majority of the city...in which to do it,” she said.

The Lord Mayor said the policy aimed to achieve a “smoke-free city” and better health outcomes through ongoing engagement and education.

Policy director at free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs, Gideon Rozner, said:

“This is just another nanny state proposal by local politicians and council bureaucrats who think they have the right to interfere with our personal choices.”

Smokers could be told to butt out in busy shopping and tourist areas, around key transport hubs, and on public roads and pedestrian areas by 2025

“Sally Capp and her council stood by last year as the City of Melbourne was brought to its knees by the Andrews Government. They should be focused squarely on rehabilitating businesses in our city, not feel-good grandstanding.”

“Councillor Campbell is absolutely right. The City of Melbourne should be encouraging people to come into the city, not shutting people out.”

The city council has issued 76 fines across smoke-free areas since the by-law was introduced in 2014.

Nine cases have been heard and finalised in court since July 2019, with all cases upheld in favour of the City of Melbourne.

“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,” a spokeswoman said.

“We have taken an educative approach which has resulted in a high level of compliance by businesses and individuals.”

Councillors voted 7-2 to pass the smoke-free motion, with two councillors abstaining.

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