A Submission on the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Bill 2023 (Cth) and Accompanying Regulations

The Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Bill 2023 (Cth) will help integrate and defragment Australia’s currently disparate set of tobacco control laws – which can be found in the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011 (Cth) and regulations; the Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act 1992 (Cth); the Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standard) (Reduced Fire Risk Cigarettes) Regulations 2008; the Trade Practices Act 1974 – Consumer Protection Notice No. of 1991 – Permanent Ban on Goods; and the Competition and Consumer (Tobacco) Information Standard 2011. The new consolidated legislative framework will help provide coherence and consistency in terms of Australia’s tobacco control regime.

The Albanese Government’s decisive leadership on tobacco control and e-cigarette regulation is to be applauded. This submission supports the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Bill 2023 (Cth) as a praiseworthy effort to defragment, consolidate, and modernise Australia’s tobacco control regime. Moreover, the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Bill 2023 (Cth) will provide a foundation for future law reform in respect of tobacco control and e-cigarette regulation, and other novel nicotine products.