FREMANTLE state Labor MLA Simone McGurk has backed the local council’s attempts to tackle smoke and vape shops through its planning scheme, despite the Cook government introducing statewide legislation.
With concerns that fire bombings and attacks across WA linked to illegal tobacco trade might spread to Fremantle, the council is hoping to limit the proliferation of convenience stores by restricting where they will be able to open though its planning scheme (“City to plan out vaping ‘scourge’,” Herald, February 14).
Ms McGurk says the trade can be blatant.
“I’m aware of the issue of convenience stores and illegal tobacco and vapes being sold from these stores; I have seen firsthand vapes being handed over for cash,” Ms McGurk said.
“It has been raised with me by Fremantle residents, and you only have to walk down Market Street and see numerous convenience stores that have popped up along that street.
“I raised my concerns and the urgency of this issue, not just with the Police Minister but also with the health minister, emphasising the need for a range of responses including fines and store closures.
“Last year I met with the police minister Reece Whitby, senior police from Fremantle station, the Fremantle mayor and the Fremantle Chamber of Commerce, in Fremantle, to discuss this issue facing our community.
“[Last] week the state government introduced new tobacco legislation to Parliament which includes tough new fines and store closure orders.
“These laws will significantly strengthen compliance and enforcement options and ensure WA’s laws are robust and responsive to the evolving illegal tobacco and vape trade.
“The changes are in addition to a range of new measures, including a newly expanded compliance unit which has already seen an increase in seizures of illicit products.
“Proposed amendments to the Act will include a new offence for the possession of commercial quantities of illicit tobacco and vaping products and will relate any individual or business found in possession of the prescribed quantity.”
“I am proud of the record WA Labor has in tobacco control. The measures that have been announced will give us among the strongest controls in the country to combat this modern day scourge.”