Illegal tobacco facing clamp
27/10/21; Herald Sun, Victoria
THE state government will launch a review into
tobacco regulation in a desperate bid to combat the sale and distribution of
illicit tobacco across Victoria.
The trade is favoured by organised crime
syndicates because of the big profits and minimal enforcement risks.
This year the Sunday Herald Sun revealed
criminals were raking in more than $800m a year in the illicit tobacco trade, with
2.2 million kilograms consumed nationwide in 2020.
Commissioner for Better Regulation Anna Cronin
will carry out the independent review of Victoria’s tobacco laws and provide
recommendations on ways to improve licensing, compliance and regulatory powers.
It follows a recent report from the federal
parliament’s joint committee on law enforcement, which said stronger regulation
was needed to tackle the sale and distribution of “chop chop”.
In August, Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party MP Tania
Maxwell called on the government to rein in the “insidious” trade.
Ms Maxwell welcomed the review but said she
would continue to push the government to make retail tobacco licensing
mandatory.
Victoria and Queensland are the only
jurisdictions without a regulated licensing scheme for the sale of tobacco.
Local council environment health officers are
responsible for checking cigarettes and other tobacco products sold are
lawfully produced.
“Only when the state equips law enforcement
with strong investigation and compliance powers will Victoria begin to butt out
this illegal trade,” Ms Maxwell said.
She added the trade “effectively steals
from our communities because illegal resellers don’t pay millions in excise
used to fund health and education services”.
