Queensland’s health minister wants more smoke free public spaces.
Smoke free areas such as Brisbane’s Queen St Mall may also be expanded, but Lawrence Springborg believes he will face resistance.
“We have to be able to convince a range of people that we need to change these particular laws,” he told AAP.
“We already have among the toughest laws in the country and they will be further strengthened over time, to actually save people and to reduce the burden on public health.
“Smoking will either kill you or severely maim you or someone that you love.”
His comments came after Melbourne City Council announced on Thursday that it is aiming for a cigarette free city centre within three years, which will make it one of the first cities worldwide with a smoke free CBD.
While Melbourne city councillor, Richard Foster, said there was overwhelming support for the ban, Victorian Premier Dennis Napthine has rubbished the idea.
Last week, inmates at a southeast Queensland prison staged a rooftop protest against new laws banning smoking throughout the state’s jails.
AAP
