New illicit tobacco laws expose federal failure says Aldred
Mary Aldred says targeting landlords will not work until the Federal Government slashes a tobacco excise she blames for more than 200 firebombings.
Federal Monash MP Mary Aldred has seized on tough new landlord penalties in Victoria and New South Wales to renew her call for the Federal Government to slash the tobacco excise she says is fuelling the illegal trade.
The co-chair of the Coalition's Illegal Tobacco Taskforce said targeting landlords was welcome but would not fix the problem on its own without stronger powers to tear up leases.
"Tougher penalties for landlords without the ability for them to terminate leases based on the sale of illegal tobacco doesn't address the real issue," Ms Aldred said.
"Queensland has shown the way by beefing up lease termination laws and had success in closing hundreds of illegal tobacco shops.
"Until the Federal Government drastically cuts the tobacco excise, the illegal tobacco market in Australia will continue to flourish, selling products to children, firebombing businesses and funding outlaw bikie gangs."
More than 200 arson attacks have been linked to the illicit tobacco trade since the first firebombing in March 2023, almost all of them in Melbourne.
Victoria introduced laws on June 4 giving Tobacco Licensing Victoria and Victoria Police the power to issue closure notices of up to 90 days, with longer orders available through the Magistrates' Court.
Businesses that defy the orders face fines of more than $2.4 million and up to 20 years in jail.
In New South Wales, laws that started on July 1 mean a landlord who knowingly allows a tenant to sell illicit tobacco or illegal vapes faces up to 12 months in jail and fines of up to $165,000.
NSW Health has issued more than 300 short-term closure orders since November last year.
Ms Aldred said the Federal Government's pharmacy-only model for legal vapes had failed because so few pharmacies were willing to stock them.
"While Australia has a pharmacy only model for accessing legal vapes, hardly any pharmacies are willing to stock them, which is why the Federal Government should be looking at the New Zealand model of a regulated framework with manufacturing standards and age restrictions," she said.
A survey of 305 pharmacies by Dr Colin Mendelsohn in October 2024 found 99 per cent had no low-nicotine vapes available to walk-in customers.
Ms Aldred said the figures underlined the scale of the crisis.
"With the illegal tobacco market in Australia now at 80 per cent, while the illegal vape market is estimated to be at 97 per cent and selling dangerous products, marketing at children and funding organised crime," she said.
"Illegal tobacco is now at a crisis point in Australia and the Federal Government cannot continue to stick its head in the sand."
Ms Aldred took up the cause after a pop-up vape store in Inverloch was raided by Therapeutic Goods Administration officers and Victoria Police in late January over allegations it was selling illicit products to minors.
The store has since closed.
Ms Aldred was appointed to co-chair the taskforce alongside Senator Richard Colbeck by Opposition Leader Angus Taylor.
