Illicit Tobacco Crackdown: Victorian Stores Face Closure Under New Laws
Stores selling illicit tobacco products can be shut down immediately under new laws. Dozens of inspectors will conduct spot checks statewide to enforce the new regulations.
Stores found selling illicit tobacco products can be shut down by inspectors effective immediately, under new laws introduced by the state government. Shops issued with closure notices will be publicly listed on the Tobacco Licensing Victoria website.
The government has pledged that dozens of Tobacco Licensing Victoria inspectors will conduct spot checks of stores statewide. Victoria Police officers also have the authority to issue closure notices if they discover illegal tobacco products being sold.
"If you are selling illegal tobacco, expect an inspector any day at any moment and expect a fluoro sign on the front of your door saying this shop has been closed," the Premier said. "There are too many and we are shutting them down and smoking them out and that starts today."
Closure notices initially cover a period of up to 90 days, but long-term closures can also be pursued through the Magistrates' Court. Business owners who ignore closure orders face fines of up to $2.5 million and 20 years' jail.
Public health organizations have welcomed the new measures, arguing they bring the state in line with other jurisdictions. Research commissioned by a leading health organization found 72 per cent of adults in the state agree shops should be shut "straight away" if caught selling illegal tobacco.
A chief executive of a prominent health organization said the state government should take a "zero-tolerance approach to the illicit trade". "There is still more work to do," he said.
However, a director of a health organization noted that state laws need to go further. "Victorian enforcement officers are unable to shut down retailers found selling vapes or pouches, even though it's illegal to do so," she said.
The new laws come into effect amid ongoing debate at a federal level over the tobacco excise. The state government has indicated it would not support any move to cut the excise on tobacco products. "I think we need to put more money into public health. We shouldn't be on the side of [tobacco company] Phillip Morris, we need to be on the side of public health," the Premier said.