Coalition Delays Labor’s Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill
October 13, 2011 1:33 PM EST
The Coalition successfully moved on Wednesday to delay the final vote on Prime Minister Julia Gillard's anti-tobacco measures that would have compelled cigarette manufacturers and sellers in Australia to market their products in plain packaging
Given the new circumstances, which mean theAustralian Senate will not be able to tackle the legislation by November this year, the Labor-led government has admitted that it may to re-adjust its legislative calendar for the realistic roll out of the new policy that would leave lasting health and economic impacts.
In a statement, Health Minister Nicola Roxon accused the Liberal leadership of protecting the interest of the local tobacco industry, which generated close to $20 billion in overall revenues since 2008, while at the same time disregarding the welfare of Australian smokers.
Latest data provided by the government showed that some 22 billion cigarettes fly off the shelves in Australia, making the industry one of the most lucrative business operations in the country.
"Given the delays in passing the bill caused by the opposition, the government now has no choice but to reconsider the impact on implementation timeframes," Reuters reported Roxon as saying in admitting that the Coalition had thwarted the anti-tobacco measures for the time being.
Ms Gillard has declared her intent to push for the passage of the bill, which she said is in line with the 2000 framework adopted by the World Health Organization that called on governments around the world to restrict cigarette retail by imposing plain packaging within their respective jurisdictions.
Despite the setback, which Ms Gillard believes is but temporary, the federal government remains upbeat that the law will come into fruition by July next year.
On its part, Australia's Cancer Council urged member of the Parliament to get their acts together and approve the legislation that is hoped to arrest the so-called tobacco epidemic that now kills some 15,000 Aussies each year and costs the government at least $32 billion to deal with the health problems attached with cigarette smoking.
"We know the tobacco industry is vehemently opposed to plain packaging, which is just another indication that plain packaging has great potential to reduce tobacco," Council chief executive Ian Olver told Reuters.
This early, tobacco industry players have collectively vowed that they would oppose the legislation, which they claim run in counter with international trademark and intellectual property laws, by resorting to lawsuits.
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