Tobacco Products Regulation (Indirect Orders) Amendment Bill

This speech is in relation to the Tobacco Products Regulation (Indirect Orders) Amendment Bill. The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK indicates that the Liberal Party strongly support this bill.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (20:14): As I indicated in my contribution this morning to another tobacco bill, concerning which the Hon. Sandra Kanck has lodged some amendments, we support this bill. I am bemused by the speaker beforehand who was self-righteous in his contribution this morning in relation to the government's bill, yet we have quite a sensible proposal before us in this bill which he chooses to oppose. A number of his interjections involved all this carry-on about 'What about the kids?'. I do not think anybody disagrees that we need to be protecting our young people from the take-up of smoking. This measure is aimed at ways that young people may well be able to quite easily access, because there is no control at the point of receipt of the product. I note that the Ministerial Council on Drugs in its joint communiqué of 16 May 2007 stated that it will be looking into the issues of stopping the advertising. That is part of what the commonwealth has jurisdiction over but, in fact, the government's contribution in opposing this bill is actually incorrect, because point of delivery and proof of age measures are well within the state jurisdiction. The Western Australian government is also looking at ways of dealing with this. I think it is a good thing for South Australia to be in front in terms of making some reforms. I find the government's position on this bill totally inconsistent with its own bill, but I think it is just a case of, 'We didn't think of it first, therefore we oppose it.' As somebody quipped earlier, Wednesday's parliamentary day is no day for the government. There is one argument against this bill, and that is that people with disabilities would obviously find it much easier to access things by electronic or postal means. I do not think that that consideration can override the potential for young people to obtain cigarettes by this means; therefore, the Liberal Party strongly supports this bill.