Tobacco and Other Smoking Products (Smoke-free Places) Amendment Bill 2015

Spoke in support as a former paramedic and committee member, drawing on personal experience of his uncle's death from lung cancer and his professional observations of the devastating effects of chronic obstructive airways disease.

“As a responsible government, we should, and I believe must, do what we can in terms of keeping a safe and healthy society.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the government bill as committee chair, noting it provides superior protections compared to the private member's bill with additional safeguards at skate parks, sporting events, early childhood facilities and aged-care facilities.

“I watched a grandparent who never smoked a day in her life die a very painful death due to passive smoking.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Spoke passionately as a former smoker in favour of the bill, sharing his personal struggle to quit and calling for consideration of whether smoking should eventually be made illegal.

“I have said three times already that this choice is addictive, is expensive and kills people and we are allowing this to happen in our society.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill from a micro-economic perspective, arguing it increases non-dollar costs of smoking and reduces exposure to second-hand smoke, drawing on his experience as a nurse witnessing the health effects of tobacco.

“Fifty per cent of consumers are killed by tobacco products if they are consumed as intended. That is an incredible statistic.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill's protections for the public but expressed a reservation that it does not address smoking in high-roller rooms at casinos where workers remain exposed to passive smoke.

“I am voting for it because it provides protections to members of the public, but I hope that the minister will look towards greater protections for workers in workplaces that are still, in Queensland in 2016, exposed to the dangers of passive smoke and second-hand smoke.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Spoke as an addiction medicine specialist and former AMA Queensland president, strongly endorsing the bill as a necessary public health measure that protects children and incentivises smokers to quit.

“Let me get straight to the point: this legislation is good for Queenslanders. It will have a significant and lasting benefit for many in our state.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill drawing on her experience as a speech pathologist treating laryngectomy patients, highlighting the devastating nature of nicotine addiction and the importance of reducing exposure for young people.

“What really shocked me and what stuck in my mind and I think started my absolute passion about the need to curb smoking was that within a week he was smoking 60 cigarettes a day through his stoma.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill, citing the chemical composition of cigarettes and noting the government bill provides stronger protections than the opposition's bill, particularly at skate parks, swimming pools and national parks.

“The government's bill is stronger than the one proposed by the opposition. The government's bill has stronger protection for the community.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported both bills but criticised the government for being slow to act and for not following the LNP's earlier leadership on the issue, and raised concerns about enforcement burdens on local government.

“What we have is that four months later the government introduced its own bill—a bill which is very similar to that introduced by the LNP.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill as a non-smoker and former paramedic, sharing experiences from firefighting and paramedic work that illustrated the devastating health and financial impacts of smoking on individuals and families.

“One day people will be reading Hansard of today's speeches and they will probably be amazed to think that we still allowed cigarettes as part of society.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill as Minister for Women and Youth, emphasising the disproportionate impact of smoking on young mothers and disadvantaged communities, and the importance of reducing youth exposure to smoking.

“Young women are 2½ times more likely to smoke at some time during their pregnancy than older women.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill while emphasising the LNP's proactive role through its earlier private member's bill, noting the government bill largely mimics the opposition's proposals.

“I am proud to be part of the LNP opposition that is taking proactive steps to decrease the prevalence of smoking in Queensland and provide healthier public spaces for the more than 85 per cent of Queenslanders who do not smoke.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill, highlighting the need for protections at early childhood facilities and private aged-care facilities, and sharing the personal impact of her mother's death from lung cancer due to tobacco addiction.

“My much loved mother was addicted to tobacco and she suffered greatly as a result of her addiction, eventually dying of lung cancer a few weeks short of her 69th birthday—way too soon.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill as a reformed smoker, drawing on his experience as a former federal senator involved in plain packaging legislation and highlighting the need for consistency in smoking bans across local government areas.

“Queenslanders and Australians are leading the way in making changes like this that will no doubt benefit our community and no doubt prevent people contracting serious disease and breathing in second-hand smoke.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill, emphasising the need to protect the 85 per cent of Queenslanders who are non-smokers from second-hand smoke in public places and the importance of reducing social acceptance of smoking among young people.

“Tobacco products are the only products sold legally on the market today that studies say will kill half of those who use them when used as intended.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill as Minister for Small Business, sharing childhood memories of second-hand smoke exposure and her father's death from lung cancer, and emphasising the need for consistent statewide smoke-free legislation.

“We know it instinctively. We know that this is not what we want for the future. Although individuals make their own choices, there is a role for government in this.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill as Minister for Housing and Public Works, noting its importance for protecting children and outlining the department's compliance role for state government properties under the new smoking bans.

“Reforms like this have the potential to mean that there is a much better chance that she may never smoke or that she might never be subjected to second-hand smoke in public places.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill as a medical practitioner and maxillofacial surgeon, drawing on his clinical experience treating head and neck cancer patients and highlighting that legislative approaches have been the most effective interventions to reduce smoking.

“To see people faced with head and neck cancer as a direct result of cigarette smoking was terrible to behold.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

Supported the bill as Minister for Road Safety, comparing smoking deaths to the road toll, emphasising the right to clean air and the need for consistent statewide legislation, and sharing the personal impact of his father's death from heavy smoking at age 60.

“My father was a very heavy smoker. He smoked three packets a day every day throughout his adult life, and unsurprisingly he only made it to the age of 60.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard

In reply as Minister for Health, defended the government bill's superiority over the private member's bill, rebutted criticisms about government delay, highlighted the Workplace Quit Smoking Program and announced its extension to childcare workers.

“Since the program started more than 9,840 registrations have been received from workers located in a range of industries throughout Queensland.”— 2016-02-23View Hansard