New Tassie hospitality smoking laws

Date: 28 October 2003

Hospitality workers across Tasmania will be extremely disappointed by the State Labor Government's response to community demands to ban smoking in pubs, clubs and casinos.

" The Tasmanian government seems to care for some hospitality workers' health but not for all hospitality workers - that's the only fair analysis we can put on today's announcement in Parliament," David O'Byrne, LHMU Tasmania Secretary said today.

" The fact that there is no date put on a total ban for hospitality smoking is extremely disappointing - we haven't even been given a proposal for a phased in program for this very important health issue.

" Of course we are happy that gaming rooms will be made smoke free - that is an important step," David O'Byrne said.

" However it still leaves at risk the majority of our hospitality union members - so we cannot cheer wholeheartedly for these so-called reforms.

" The state will be made into a laughing stock - the butt of comedians' jokes about banning smoke drifting any closer than one metre from a bar.

" I can also predict that we will have confusion in the industry as some hospitality outlets - such as nightclubs and cabarets - quickly seek to redefine themselves as bars so they can carry on allowing patrons to smoke in their outlets.

Cave in to a minority

" All the major hospitality employers - the big job creators in this state - backed the community and union campaign to ban smoking in the workplace.

" The opinion polls, the community, the rank-and-file members of the ALP - everyone is on side with the union and the workers seeking these bans.

" Only the Labor Government, and a handful of pubs, seems now to oppose the health needs of these workers.

The LHMU proudly represents around 130,000 hard working women and men throughout Australia

For further comment: David O'Byrne, LHMU Tasmania 03 6224 9288 or 0417 374 865

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