Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products)

Current status

This bill became law on Dec 14th, 2023.

Policy area

Health, care & disability

What does this bill do?

Australia bans tobacco advertising and tobacco sponsorship deals, with only limited exceptions such as some point-of-sale, journalism and political communication rules.

Why was it introduced?

An outdated patchwork of eight tobacco laws and new products and marketing tactics left gaps in Australia’s tobacco controls. The bill combines those rules into one framework and expands advertising, packaging and product controls, including for e-cigarettesBattery-powered vaping products that the bill treats as needing special advertising and product controls..

Broader context

Australia already had strong tobacco controls, including advertising bans and plain packagingA tobacco packaging rule that removes most branding so packs are harder to use as advertising and are less appealing., but smoking still caused more than 20,000 deaths a year and the rules were scattered across eight laws that were struggling to keep up with e-cigarettesBattery-powered vaping products that the bill treats as needing special advertising and product controls. and new marketing tactics. After a long review of those laws and a 2023 budget crackdown on recreational vaping, the government introduced this bill to fold the old patchwork into one updated regime for tobacco and vaping products, and Parliament enacted it in December 2023.

Key criticism

The main criticism was that the bill tightened rules on legal tobacco and vaping products without doing enough to stop the illegal market, so black-market sales and criminal activity could continue or worsen. That concern was raised most clearly by Coalition and Nationals speakers, while some crossbench supporters backed the bill but said it still needed stronger anti-vaping loophole closures and limits on industry influence.

Who supported it?

Mark Butler MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.

Introduced in House 13 Sept 2023
Passed House 19 Oct 2023
Passed Senate 05 Dec 2023
Became law 14 Dec 2023

Did it become law?

Yes

Became law 14 Dec 2023

Final passage

Passed without a counted vote

4 recorded amendment or procedural votes were found, but no counted vote on the bill itself was recorded.

Passage speed

92 days

From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step

Official record

View on APH

Parliament of Australia bill page

What does this bill do?

  1. Australia bans tobacco advertising and tobacco sponsorship deals, with only limited exceptions such as some point-of-sale, journalism and political communication rules.

  2. Australia applies similar advertising limits to e-cigarettesBattery-powered vaping products that the bill treats as needing special advertising and product controls., so vaping products cannot be promoted in the same way as ordinary consumer goods.

  3. Tobacco sellers and manufacturers must meet stricter packaging and product rules, including plain packs, health warnings, limits on misleading brand names, and tighter control over package markings.

  4. Tobacco companies must report ingredients, sales and import volumes, and marketing spending to the Health Department, and those reports will usually be made public.

  5. The Act sets up a national illicit tobacco and e-cigarette commissionerThe new enforcement role the page says would focus on illegal cigarettes and vaping products. to focus on the illegal trade in cigarettes and vaping products.

Show source excerpts
  1. One of the main objects of this Act is to give effect to obligations that Australia has under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. This is done in part by prohibiting the advertising of tobacco products, as well as by prohibiting persons from making tobacco sponsorships.
    Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023 final Act text
  2. In order to limit the risk of e‑cigarette products becoming a gateway into smoking, and to address the health risks of vaping, this Act includes similar prohibitions in relation to e‑cigarette products.
    Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023 final Act text
  3. This Act also specifies a number of requirements that tobacco products must comply with, including requirements and limitations relating to plain packaging, health warnings, the terms that can be used in relation to the brand names or variant names of tobacco products, and the marks that can be included on tobacco product packaging.
    Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023 final Act text
  4. Certain persons are subject to obligations under this Act to report to the Secretary on a variety of matters including the ingredients used in tobacco products, volumes of sales and imports and marketing and promotional expenditure. Usually, the Minister must publish those reports.
    Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023 final Act text
  5. This Act also establishes the Illicit Tobacco and E‑cigarette Commissioner.
    Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023 final Act text

Broader context for this bill

Australia already had strong tobacco controls, including advertising bans and plain packagingA tobacco packaging rule that removes most branding so packs are harder to use as advertising and are less appealing., but smoking still caused more than 20,000 deaths a year and the rules were scattered across eight laws that were struggling to keep up with e-cigarettesBattery-powered vaping products that the bill treats as needing special advertising and product controls. and new marketing tactics. After a long review of those laws and a 2023 budget crackdown on recreational vaping, the government introduced this bill to fold the old patchwork into one updated regime for tobacco and vaping products, and Parliament enacted it in December 2023.

  1. 2011

    Australia makes plain packagingA tobacco packaging rule that removes most branding so packs are harder to use as advertising and are less appealing. part of tobacco control

    The 2011 plain packagingA tobacco packaging rule that removes most branding so packs are harder to use as advertising and are less appealing. law became a central part of Australia’s tobacco regime and later provided a foundation for the 2023 overhaul.

    Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) explanatory memorandum ↗
  2. Jan-May 2019

    Department starts a thematic reviewThe government review process that examined the old tobacco laws and looked for gaps to fix. of tobacco laws

    Public consultation began a review aimed at modernising tobacco legislation so it could close gaps and handle new products and marketing methods.

    Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) explanatory memorandum ↗
  3. 21 Mar 2023

    Government says vaping has exploded and prepares a crackdown

    Health Minister Mark Butler said vaping had surged over the previous five years and accused tobacco companies of targeting children, signalling tougher federal action.

    Australian Financial Review ↗
  4. 01 May 2023

    Budget announces a ban on recreational vaping

    The government tied new budget funding to a plan to stop recreational vaping by tightening rules on packaging, importation, availability and contents.

    Australian Financial Review ↗
  5. 13 Sept 2023

    Government introduces the bill

    The bill was introduced as the vehicle to consolidate the old patchwork of tobacco laws and extend modernised controls to e-cigarettesBattery-powered vaping products that the bill treats as needing special advertising and product controls. and related products.

    Parliamentary timeline ↗
  6. 14 Dec 2023

    Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into law, which the page says happened in December 2023. makes the reforms law

    Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into law, which the page says happened in December 2023. completed the bill’s passage and turned the updated national framework for tobacco and other products into an Act.

    Parliamentary timeline ↗

How did it move through Parliament?

House Senate
Introduced 13 Sept 2023

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 13 Sept 2023

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Community Affairs review 14 Sept 2023

Referred to Committee (14/09/2023): Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Committee report (22/11/2023)

Referred to committee

APH bill page notes
Second reading debate 17 Oct 2023

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Sent to Federation Chamber for debate 17 Oct 2023

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Referred to Federation Chamber

Second reading debate 18 Oct 2023

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

House second reading agreed 18 Oct 2023

The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.

Second reading agreed to

Consideration in detail 18 Oct 2023

The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.

Consideration in detail debate

Returned from Federation Chamber 19 Oct 2023

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Reported from Federation Chamber

Consideration in detail 19 Oct 2023

The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.

Consideration in detail debate

House third reading agreed 19 Oct 2023

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber. Later message exchanges with the other chamber were still recorded afterwards.

Third reading agreed to

Introduced 19 Oct 2023

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 19 Oct 2023

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Second reading debate 27 Nov 2023

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Second reading debate 04 Dec 2023

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Senate second reading agreed 04 Dec 2023

The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.

Second reading agreed to

Senate agreed to amendment packages 04 Dec 2023

The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.

Committee of the Whole debate

Senate third reading agreed 05 Dec 2023

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.

Third reading agreed to

House agreed to Senate amendments 07 Dec 2023

The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form.

Consideration of Senate message

Passed both houses 07 Dec 2023

Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.

Finally passed both Houses

Assent 14 Dec 2023

The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into law, which the page says happened in December 2023., turning the bill into an Act.

The main case against this bill

The main criticism was that the bill tightened rules on legal tobacco and vaping products without doing enough to stop the illegal market, so black-market sales and criminal activity could continue or worsen. That concern was raised most clearly by Coalition and Nationals speakers, while some crossbench supporters backed the bill but said it still needed stronger anti-vaping loophole closures and limits on industry influence.

Criticism was real but mostly conditional rather than broad opposition to the bill’s health goals.

Too weak on illicit tobacco and vape trade

Critics argued the bill was incomplete because it focused on tighter product and advertising rules but did not sufficiently tackle illegal tobacco and vape sales. They warned this could leave the black market largely untouched, undermine the bill’s health aims and require stronger penalties, enforcement and institutional focus.

Raised by Coalition and Nationals MPs including Sussan Ley, Anne Webster and Aaron Violi Source ↗

Bill left vaping loopholes and influence risks

Some supporters said the bill still did not go far enough on vaping, especially online sales, advertising loopholes and political influence by e-cigarette companies. Their concern was less that the bill went too far than that gaps in the scheme would let harmful marketing and access continue.

Raised by Crossbench supporters including Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender Source ↗

Recorded votes

How the bill itself passed

The bill passed both chambers on the voices. The counted divisions below were about amendments or procedure, not final passage.

Passed

House passed the bill

House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.

19 Oct 2023

Passed on the voices

In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.

Passed

Senate passed the bill

Senate agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.

05 Dec 2023

Passed on the voices

In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.

Amendments at a glance

Amendments grouped by chamber. Where APH reports aggregate counts, the package card summarizes the matching public amendment sheets by source theme.

House

Defeated

Remove publication and sponsorship carve-outs

Aye 12 No 94

Defeated 12 to 94. Support came from Centre Alliance and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

19 Oct 2023

The House rejected the amendments, so the bill kept its permitted-publication provisions and the e-cigarette sponsorship exception.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 56
Unknown 3 / 22
Liberal Party 0 / 12
Independent 8 / 0
Nationals 0 / 4
Centre Alliance 1 / 0
Carried

House accepted all Senate amendments

The House agreed to the amendments made by the Senate, so the bill could pass both chambers in the same form.

Carried on voices

The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.

Senate

Defeated

Create illicit tobacco commissioner

Aye 28 No 30

Defeated 28 to 30. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, Jacqui Lambie Network, and One Nation. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, and minor parties and independents. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

04 Dec 2023

The amendment was defeated, so the bill kept the government’s original approach rather than adding the proposed anti-illicit-tobacco commissioner framework.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 17
Liberal Party 14 / 0
Unknown 7 / 3
Greens 0 / 9
Nationals 4 / 0
Independent 0 / 1
Jacqui Lambie Network 1 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0
UAP 1 / 0
Carried

Call to curb tobacco industry influence

Aye 32 No 24

Passed 32 to 24. Support came from Labor, Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and UAP. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

04 Dec 2023

The amendment was agreed to, so the Senate attached a political statement to the second-reading motion but did not change the bill text itself.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 17 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 14
Greens 9 / 0
Unknown 4 / 5
Nationals 0 / 4
Independent 1 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 1 / 0
UAP 0 / 1
Defeated

Introduce vaping product regulation

Aye 3 No 38

Defeated 3 to 38. Support came from One Nation and UAP. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Liberal Party, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Nationals had split recorded votes.

05 Dec 2023

The amendments were defeated, so the bill did not adopt the proposed vaping-regulation scheme.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 16
Greens 0 / 7
Liberal Party 0 / 6
Unknown 0 / 5
Independent 0 / 2
Nationals 1 / 1
Jacqui Lambie Network 0 / 1
One Nation 1 / 0
UAP 1 / 0
Carried

Opposition package: 5 amendments

APH records 5 Opposition amendments agreed on the voices. The public amendment list groups them into 1 amendment sheet, so this page summarizes the package by source theme.

04 Dec 2023

Passed on the voices

The chamber agreed to this amendment package without a counted vote. APH records the agreed count by amendment, while the source documents are grouped into amendment sheets.

Themes in the public amendment sheets

These are amendment votes, not the final passage vote on the bill itself. The bill passed both chambers on the voices.

Who spoke, and what they said

Start here — lead voices

Sponsor speech Supports

Mark Butler

Australian Labor Party • MP 13 Sept 2023

Butler supports the bill and says it will modernise and consolidate Australia’s tobacco control laws, close loopholes, and help reduce smoking and vaping harms.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead opposing voice Opposes

Tammy Tyrrell

Jacqui Lambie Network • Senator 04 Dec 2023

Tyrrell opposes the bill, arguing that it relies on bans and tougher restrictions that will push people toward cigarettes and the black market instead of helping smokers quit.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead supporting voice Supports

Peter Whish-Wilson

Australian Greens • Senator 04 Dec 2023

Whish-Wilson supports the bill as a chance to reduce tobacco-related plastic pollution, but says it should be strengthened by banning single-use plastic film and tear strips and requiring recycled, recyclable cigarette packaging.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead non-major voice Supports

David Pocock

Independent • Senator 04 Dec 2023

Pocock supports the bill and says it modernises Australia’s tobacco controls by tightening warnings, additives, packaging rules and e-cigarette advertising.

Read in Hansard ↗

All speeches by bloc

Labor

13 speakers · 13 support

  1. Shayne Neumann Neumann supports the bill and says it will streamline tobacco laws, modernise the framework and add new measures to discourage smoking and tackle vaping.
    “I rise to support the Public Health (Tobacco and other Products) Bill 2023. This bill consolidates the existing Commonwealth tobacco control framework into one act with associated regulations, thereby streamlining the operation of the laws. It modernises and simplifies existing provisions and introduces some new measures to discourage smoking. It addresses the health risks posed by vaping and e-cigarette products.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Louise Miller-Frost Louise Miller-Frost supports the bill, saying it modernises and streamlines tobacco control laws while adding new measures to curb smoking and vaping, especially among young people.
    “The Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Bill 2023 consolidates the existing Commonwealth tobacco control framework into one act with associated regulations, thereby streamlining the operation of the laws. It modernises and simplifies the existing provisions and introduces new measures to discourage smoking and address the health risks posed by vaping and e-cigarette products.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Tracey Roberts Roberts strongly supports the bill and says it is needed to modernise and consolidate tobacco control laws, close loopholes, and reduce smoking and vaping harms, especially for young people.
    “I support this because I nursed my mum and watched her die of lung cancer long before her time due to smoking—something that she did when she was a teenager and something that she thought it was cool to do because everybody was doing it and it looked cool. It's not. It ended her life early. I've sat in IVF clinics. I've seen parents and parents-to-be there—and my young grandson as well, a type 1 diabetic—with that temptation in front of them, which is so terribly wrong. Tobacco use is a leading cause of preventable death and disease, and is a key health risk factor in Australia. I wish to provide the best conceivable way forward for my constituents in Pearce and all around Australia to live happy, healthy lives. Therefore, I commend the bill to the House.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  4. Graham Perrett Graham Perrett supports the bill and urges the House to back it, saying it will modernise and strengthen tobacco control laws, close loopholes, and help reduce smoking and vaping.
    “The Albanese government is determined to do all that it can to tackle the harm caused by smoking. We want to make sure that in the future people don't take up smoking in the first place. I call on all those opposite to put out their opposition to this legislation, to stub it out and to support this important reform. I commend the legislation to the House.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  5. Zaneta Mascarenhas Mascarenhas supports the bill, saying it is needed to cut smoking and vaping, protect young people, and close the health gap for First Nations Australians.
    “There has never been a more important time to introduce this bill to parliament, because Australia's current tobacco related measures are split across eight different laws, regulations, instruments and court decisions. For example, the government is prohibiting certain forms of tobacco advertising. That's now 30 years old. But we are sorting out the convoluted patchwork of regulations, because we can no longer have smokers falling through the cracks. This bill brings tobacco measures together with 11 new measures into a single streamlined and effective act of parliament, which will re-ignite the fight against tobacco and nicotine addiction. The government is taking action for the benefit of the health of all Australians. Basically we've set an aim to reduce the national smoking rate to less than 10 per cent by 2025 and to five per cent or less by 2030, with the aim of reducing the rate to 27 per cent among First Nations people by 2030. It's one of the reasons that the national peak medical body and the Australian Medical Association are leaders and are supporting this bill. I think that these laws will help the government to achieve this aim. Really, this is about the future of our children. It's about the future of the health of our people in Australia, so I commend this bill to the House.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  6. Tim Ayres Ayres strongly supports the bill, saying it modernises and consolidates Australia's tobacco control laws and adds new measures to discourage smoking and prevent vaping promotion.
    “This Bill consolidates the existing Commonwealth tobacco control framework into one Act with associated regulations, thereby streamlining the operation of the laws. It modernises and simplifies the existing provisions and introduces new measures to discourage smoking and prevent the promotion of vaping and e-cigarettes.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 19 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  7. Anne Stanley Stanley supports the bill and says it will modernise and streamline tobacco controls, strengthen enforcement, and reduce smoking and vaping harms, especially for young people.
    “The 11 measures in the government's tobacco reforms will put us back into a world-leading position alongside fellow OECD nations such as New Zealand and Canada. The Albanese government is determined to do all it can to tackle the harms that are caused by smoking. We want to ensure that in the future people don't take up smoking in the first place. I commend the bill to the House.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  8. Carina Garland Carina Garland strongly supports the bill, saying it modernises and strengthens Australia’s tobacco laws to close loopholes, protect young people, and reduce smoking and vaping harms.
    “I'm really pleased to support the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Bill today. As the Minister for Health has stated, this bill builds on the pioneering tobacco control reforms introduced by past Labor governments, which include Australia's world-leading tobacco plain-packaging reforms.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  9. Michelle Ananda-Rajah Michelle Ananda-Rajah supports the bill, saying it updates Australia’s tobacco laws to close loopholes, regulate vaping, and help reduce smoking, especially among young people.
    “The overarching objective is to reduce the prevalence of smoking by reducing uptake, with a particular focus on young people—on children. When it comes to smoking-related harm, prevention really is better than the cure. These reforms will help restore our edge in tobacco control with our children and adults—young and older, Indigenous and non-Indigenous—the beneficiaries. I commend this bill to the House.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  10. Marielle Smith Smith strongly supports the bill and says it is needed to save lives by reducing smoking and updating Australia's outdated tobacco controls.
    “Australia has been a world leader in tobacco regulation and reform before. Under the Albanese Labor government we will be world leaders again. I commend these bills to the Senate.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 04 Dec 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  11. Ged Kearney Kearney supports the bill and says it will modernise and strengthen Australia’s tobacco controls by improving warnings, restricting vaping promotion, and tightening rules on product design and additives.
    “The main bill consolidated the existing Commonwealth tobacco control framework into one act with associated regulations, streamlining the operation of the laws. It modernises and simplifies the existing provisions and it introduces new measures to discourage smoking and prevent the promotion of vaping and e-cigarette products. The bill reflects the Australian government's ongoing commitment to improving the health of all Australians by reducing the prevalence of tobacco use, the leading cause of preventable death and disability among Australians, and its associated health, social and environmental costs and the inequality it causes.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  12. Malarndirri McCarthy McCarthy supports the bill and says it updates and strengthens Australia's tobacco laws to reduce smoking and stop vaping promotion, continuing Labor's public health reforms.
    “I conclude by saying that the government is determined to do all we can to tackle the harms caused by smoking. We know that the tobacco industry continues to have deep pockets and very powerful friends. This government is up for the fight, because we fight on behalf of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our society, who bear the brunt of these tobacco company profits. We're going to bring the same spirit of courage, the same spirit of action, the same clarity of thought and, I hope, the same conviction that Nicola Roxon brought to plain-packaging reforms 12 years ago. We're going to reaffirm Australia's reputation as a world leader in tobacco control. I commend the bill.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 04 Dec 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Coalition

6 speakers · 2 support · 2 oppose · 2 mixed

  1. Matthew Canavan Canavan opposes the bill as drafted and says it misses the real problem by leaving vaping in a criminalised, black-market regime.
    “There is another way here. We don't need to criminalise 1.3 million Australians. We don't need to help the criminal gangs with this trade. We can do what every other developed country in the world now does and create a legal, regulated e-cigarette vaping market. I will move amendments in the committee stage of this bill to do that very thing.”

    Liberal National Party • Senator • 04 Dec 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Kerrynne Liddle Liddle says the coalition supports the bill’s public health aims, but argues it is a missed opportunity because it does not properly confront the growing illegal tobacco trade.
    “The coalition supports the aim of this legislation, but in not dealing with the issue of the illegal tobacco trade this bill is clearly a missed opportunity by Labor—yet again—to protect Australian families and Australian children from tobacco and the illegal tobacco industry.”

    Liberal Party • Senator • 04 Dec 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Anne Webster Webster says the Nationals cannot support the bill as drafted because it does not do enough on vaping and will leave the black market untouched or worse.
    “According to the RACGP, Australia is the only country in the world to restrict access to vaping products on a prescription-only basis. All other Western democracies regulate vaping products as a controlled adult consumer product. While the Minister for Health and Aged Care may claim this tobacco bill is at the forefront of global tobacco control, the reality is it is half-baked and does not go far enough. Aside from advertising and sponsorship bans on vaping products, which are welcomed, it does nothing to address Australia's rampant vaping crisis. The only way to fix that crisis is to extend this tobacco control bill to regulate vaping products in the same way as tobacco.”

    National Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  4. Aaron Violi Aaron Violi says the coalition supports the bill in principle, but wants stronger action on e-cigarette availability and especially the illegal tobacco trade before it can fully achieve its aims.
    “While the coalition supports the intent of this bill, it is essential to note that the Senate committee inquiry has commenced with a reporting date of 22 November. Any significant issues that arise from this report should be taken into consideration. The bills do not address the stronger regulation of e-cigarette availability, vapes and supply. They only seek to prohibit certain forms of e-cigarette advertisements and sponsorships.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  5. Ross Cadell Cadell says the coalition will support the bill because it is better than doing nothing and will make legal tobacco products safer.
    “This legislation will be supported by us, because it's better than not supporting it, and it's better to make the legal products safer.”

    National Party • Senator • 04 Dec 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  6. Sussan Ley Ley says the coalition supports the bill’s public health goals, but argues it is incomplete because it does not properly tackle the illegal tobacco trade.
    “While the coalition supports the intention of this bill, it is essential to mention that a Senate committee inquiry has commenced, with a reporting date of 22 November. Any significant issues arising from this report should be taken into consideration.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 17 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Greens

2 speakers · 2 support

  1. David Shoebridge David Shoebridge says the Greens will support the bill because it strengthens public health regulation of tobacco and helps save lives by consolidating and clarifying federal controls.
    “I rise to echo the contribution of my colleague Senator Steele-John on this second reading debate and indicate the Greens will be supporting the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Bill 2023. We have seen extraordinary achievements in reducing tobacco use in Australia through concerted efforts at federal and state government levels, and those collective efforts of regulating in the public interest have saved thousands of Australian lives and extended the healthy lifespan of thousands of other Australians. But there's still more to be done. According to the Cancer Council, there are roughly two million Australians who still smoke regularly. Because of that, we can expect more than 20,000 Australians a year to die from tobacco related illness. Can we stay still when we see that? Obviously we can't. We need to step forward and regulate in the public interest. This is a global industry based around a series of large corporate players who literally profit off the deaths of millions of people across the world. It's one of the most noxious, least ethical industries on the planet, and for centuries it has traded in an addictive product, but for decades it has traded in a product that it knows kills its own customers. When you have an industry that knowingly seeks to expand its market with a product that it knows kills its own customers, of course we need to aggressively regulate that industry in the public interest. The Greens support this legislation, which is largely about consolidating, simplifying and clarifying the way in which federal legislation regulates tobacco.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 04 Dec 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Minor parties and independents

5 speakers · 3 support · 2 oppose

  1. Zali Steggall Steggall supports the bill and says it should pass, but argues it needs amendments to close loopholes on vaping advertising, online sales and political donations from the vaping industry.
    “I'm supportive of this legislation, but I will put forward amendments with the intent of making this legislation even better and make a statement on what I know are the expectations of parents around the country. We need to delete a number of clauses from this legislation. The practical effect of this will be to further restrict physical advertising, online advertising and advertising on aeroplanes for vapes and online sale of vapes. The amendment in relation to the clause on political donations and electoral expenses will ensure that our political system is not influenced by donations from the vaping lobby.”

    Independent • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Ralph Babet Babet opposes the bill, arguing it is another round of nanny-state regulation that treats adults like children and will not make smokers quit.
    “This bill obviously goes even further: apparently a package insert and warnings on individual cigarettes. That's going to make all the difference! I'm sure that, once someone opens a packet, lights up a cigarette and puts it in their mouth, they're going to glance down and see 'smoking kills' written on that cigarette and immediately get the urge to quit smoking. That's what they're going to do—sure; no worries! I'm sorry to break it to you, guys: if a picture of mouth cancer or lung cancer on the front of a packet does not convince a smoker to quit, a little label on an individual cigarette will not convince them. The Australian people are not stupid. They can read. As adults—I'll keep saying it—they can make their own decisions.”

    United Australia Party • Senator • 04 Dec 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Allegra Spender Spender supports the bill and says stronger federal regulation of tobacco and vaping products is long overdue, especially to stop companies targeting young people.
    “Regulating the sale and advertisement of tobacco and e-cigarette products is an essential and overdue step. I commend the government for listening to the concerns of the community and introducing this legislation. There is no reason that the promotion of e-cigarettes should be any different to the promotion of tobacco products, and this bill will deliver that consistency.”

    Independent • MP • 18 Oct 2023

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Full record

Full chat