Hobart votes to go smoke-free by April 15, 2020

Hobart smokers are officially on notice. By April 15, 2020, it will be illegal to smoke within a large block encompassing Liverpool, Murray, Collins and Campbell streets.

CENTRAL Hobart will be smoke-free within a year. Hobart City Council last night extended their smoking ban across several public spaces in the CBD.

MORE: SMOKING BAN CLEARS FIRST HURDLE

By April 15, 2020, it will be illegal to smoke within a large block encompassing Liverpool, Murray, Collins and Campbell streets, including areas directly outside the Royal Hobart Hospital.

New smoke-free zones at Franklin Square, Soldiers Memorial Oval Community Hub and the University Rose Gardens will kick in six months earlier on October 15 this year.

Anyone caught lighting up in the new smoke-free zones faces a $326 fine.

The designated smoking area near Franklin Square incorporated in the initial plan was scrapped by the council.

Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet said it was a landmark moment for a capital city to declare such a large area smoke-free. “It’s a clear message that Hobart is looking to the health and amenity of people who use our streets,” she said.

“We need to de-normalise smoking. There’s also a significant amount of litter created by people not disposing of smoke butts properly.”

Deputy Lord Mayor has described the decision to ban smoking in vast tracts of Hobart’s CBD as a landmark moment.

Cr Burnet said the longer period to roll out the CBD block ban was because it was such a large area. The time frame would allow the council to consult with affected businesses.

The council will now hire a project and enforcement officer for the first 12 months to help to educate the public on the new laws before hitting the pavement to issue fines. This role will pay a salary of $73,000.

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Council of Tasmania chief executive Alison Lai applauded a “brave and admirable” council for setting a benchmark on tackling a community health issue.

Tasmania has higher smoking rates than the rest of the country.

“We’ll be using them as an example when we talk about proactive measures to reduce harmful effects of tobacco,” Ms Lai said.

She said Tasmania had higher smoking rates than the rest of the country.

Alderman Jeff Briscoe said he hoped at some point smoking would be banned across the entire city and a “person could get on a bus anywhere and not have to wait where there are smokers”.

He urged other councils to “do their bit and lift their game”.

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