Toowoomba tattoo artists are abuzz over ‘Save The Ink’ petition

Two Toowoomba tattoo artists say they want to see the government better regulate the backyard tattoo industry and leave the legal, licenced tattoo studios alone.

Tattoo artists across the state are concerned proposed law changes will cripple the industry, putting parlours and artists out of business for good.

Changes to the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 will seek to create compliance measures for what inks can be used.

White Lion Custom Tattoo owner Kym Hammond said her studio went to great lengths to ensure it sourced ink from reputable sources who purchased it from accredited and safe manufacturers in the US and Europe.

“In the three decades I’ve been tattooing, only one person has come to me with a bad reaction to tattoo ink and this was because their body was responding to the additives in a red ink years and years ago,” she said.

White Lion Custom Tattoo owner Kym Hammond has been tattooing for 31 years and says she wants to see the government regulate the backyard tattoo industry more and leave the legal, licenced tattoo parlours alone. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The proposed new laws introduced to state parliament by Treasurer Cameron Dick would make it illegal to sell ink or tattoo someone without a “compliant analysis certificate” to ensure the tattoo inks were safe and fit for purpose.

The proposal comes after a 2016 study from the Australian Government’s National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme found one in five tattoo inks in Australia contained potentially dangerous carcinogenic chemicals.

Queensland tattoo artists and supporters have voiced their discontent with the proposals by launching online petition Save The Inks, which has amassed almost 34,000 signatures.

Toowoomba tattoo artist Mellisah Johns (Miss Stitch) said the government needed to be more concerned with the ink being sold and purchased online through sites like eBay, rather than impacting the Queensland tattoo industry and the artists who were trying to work by the book.

“Most of the health and hygiene problems we see clients come to us with are the result of unsafe backyard tattoo setups,” she said.

White Lion Custom Tattoo artist Mellisah Johns is concerned about proposed changes to laws for the professional industry in Queensland. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“People who are buying cheap, unregulated tattoo equipment and ink online and pulling it out at parties or operating illegal studios from home, these sort of practices aren’t happening in the parlours where we are properly trained and regularly monitored.”

Ms Hammond said if the laws were approved, artists who were found in possession of tattoo ink without proper certification could be fined up to $6000 per bottle.

“Manufacturers aren’t going to issue a certificate like this just for Queensland,” she said.

“We have less than 1000 licenced tattoo artists as it is, this new legislation is just going to force more artists to move away to NSW or worse, start operating unlicensed and unsafe tattoo operations in their backyards, which is exactly what the government does not want.”

Inks used by White Lion Custom Tattoo artist Mellisah Johns. Picture: Kevin Farmer

A breast cancer survivor herself, Ms Hammond said her oncologist told her tattoo ink was not responsible for her condition.

“As far as he was concerned, the tattoo ink was harmless and said there are a lot more dangerous carcinogens we come into contact with every day that are far more of a concern to our health,” she said.

“The government needs to spend less time making it harder for the legal, safe studios to practise their craft and more time tracking down the people who aren’t being safe.”

Mr Dick’s office has been contacted for comment.

White Lion Custom Tattoo artists Mellisah Johns (left) and owner Kym Hammond are concerned about proposed changes to laws for the professional industry in Queensland. Picture: Kevin Farmer