Watered-down vape laws just a vote away

Labor’s watered-down vaping reforms are set to pass parliament this week, with the government looking to bed down just one more vote from the crossbench to enshrine the new rules into law.

Health Minister Mark Butler. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Labor’s watered-down vaping reforms are set to pass parliament this week, with the government looking to bed down just one more vote from the crossbench to enshrine the new rules into law.

The Greens agreed to back the legislation on Monday after Labor walked back its original proposal to require a GP script for every vape purchase, allowing the products to be bought over the counter at pharmacies instead.

However, the government still needs two more votes on top of the Greens support to pass the legislation through the Senate.

In the wake of ongoing negotiations, Labor delayed debate on the bill from Tuesday to ­Wednesday.

The Australian understands Jacqui Lambie is likely to vote in favour of the bill, while Lidia Thorpe holds concerns about criminalising vapes and the possibility of police arresting children for possessing the product, given the inconsistency of state and territory laws.

Pauline Hanson has also previously been of the view that vapes are less harmful than tobacco, but the One Nation senator is still undecided on her position, as are independents David Van and David Pocock.

Health Minister Mark Butler hosed down concerns over the lack of consultation for the amended laws and stressed pharmacies would not be forced to sell vapes if they did not want to.

“This is a sensible balance between access and serious reform to return this product to its original intention, which was therapeutic,” Mr Butler said.

“Of course pharmacies aren’t owned by the government so they can’t be directed by the government what they sell. Some pharmacies choose to offer methadone treatment, some don’t.”

Pharmacy Guild vice-president Anthony Tassone said the peak body had learnt of the full deals of the “secret deal” between Labor and the Greens “via media release” on Monday.

“We were gobsmacked. And after picking ourselves up off the floor, we questioned why we were not involved in the conversation of this very, very important issue,” he said.

The matter was discussed in Labor caucus on Tuesday morning, where Mr Butler was asked about the concerns that pharmacists had not been adequately consulted.

A party spokesman said the Health Minister told caucus the “business lobby group” of the Pharmacy Guild had not engaged during the Senate committee ­process.

The Coalition criticised Labor’s proposal as being a ­“prohibitive-style approach” that played into the hands of organised crime syndicates.

“If elected, a Coalition government will pursue a strictly regulated retail model for vaping products under the TGA to put a stop to dodgy retailers selling vapes to Australian children with impunity through the rampant black market,” opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston and opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said in a joint statement.

“This model will include a ­licensing scheme, prevention campaigns and strong enforcement efforts, as part of a sensible approach to keep money out of the hands of criminals while ­stopping the sale of vapes to ­children.”