Nat leader met with tobacco companies before endorsing their vaping positions
Nationals leader David Littleproud publicly endorsed the position of big tobacco companies on vaping regulations just 36 hours after he was privately lobbied by representatives from Philip Morris and British American Tobacco.
Nationals leader David Littleproud publicly endorsed the position of big tobacco companies on vaping regulations just 36 hours after he was privately lobbied by representatives from Philip Morris and British American Tobacco.
The Australian can reveal Mr Littleproud had two separate face-to-face meetings with the tobacco companies in the five-star Hyatt hotel in Canberra on March 10.
The meetings – offered to donors under the Nationals “corporate observers program” – came two days before Mr Littleproud told The Australian that he would push his party room to embrace a regulatory model for e-cigarettes in a bid to crack down on a thriving black market.
Nationals MPs were understood to have been surprised by Mr Littleproud’s strong stance on vaping regulations given the issue was not previously considered a top electoral priority for the party.
Mr Littleproud was joined at the Hyatt Canberra by Nationals frontbenchers and MPs including Kevin Hogan, Barnaby Joyce, Darren Chester, Michael McCormack, Keith Pitt and Susan McDonald.
The Nationals, who regularly meet corporate donors across a wide range of sectors, have long accepted donations from big tobacco, including $55,000 from Philip Morris in 2021-22.
The Australian is not suggesting Mr Littleproud acted inappropriately in meeting with Big Tobacco or adopting its vaping stance.
Public Health Association of Australia chief executive Terry Slevin last week attacked the Nationals as “worse than irrelevant” and accused the party of accepting more than $275,000 from Philip Morris since 2015.
Other Nationals MPs, including Matt Canavan and Perin Davey, have been long-time advocates of vaping regulation.
Mr Littleproud on Sunday stood by the National’s position, which has been criticised by health groups, including the Australian Medical Association, who warned it would make vapes more accessible for children.
The Nationals party room last week formally endorsed NSW MP Pat Conaghan’s proposal to allow nicotine vapes to be sold legally at shops without a prescription, amid concern the existing Coalition-era policy had led to a flourishing black market.
The calls to overturn the laws – allowing individuals to import vaping products following consultation with a GP – are in line with a push from tobacco companies.
“Something has to change, and the fact is we tried to support Greg Hunt’s reforms, it‘s obvious they haven’t worked. There needs to be tighter regulations and we’ve always thought that,” Mr Littleproud told The Australian. “We now have a view as a party room, the entire party room not me, this isn’t just my decision. We have to find another way to try and protect children, it‘s as simple as that.”
Mr Littleproud said political parties needed donations to survive, and argued that any number of political decisions could be considered compromised given all major parties took donations from the private sector.
“If we want to get down to a debate about political parties taking donations, we’ll run the ruler over every political party’s political donations,” he said.
“If they want to change the funding model then that‘s well and good but political parties can’t win elections without donations.”
The Therapeutic Goods Administration last week released more than 4000 public submissions into its inquiry into vaping, and urged the government to implement tighter border controls, import permits and the closure of a much-rorted personal importation scheme that allows people to bring large numbers of nicotine-laced vapes into Australia.
Health Minister Mark Butler accused the Nationals of having a “blatant conflict of interest”, as the only major party that still accepts donations from tobacco companies: “The Nationals policy is based on what the tobacco industry wants – which is to develop a new generation of nicotine addicts and we will not stand for it”.
More Coverage
Third senior exit at CFMEU administration
The exit came as confidential documents show the union’s national office was in deficit and the SA branch insolvent.
Flood warnings issued as Cyclone Zelia downgraded
Tropical cyclone Zelia has been downgraded but heavy rainfall continues to lash parts of northwest WA, where severe weather and emergency warnings remain in place.