The strong opposition to the health lobby's "Smoke-free In 03" campaign was demonstrated when Moama Bowling Club in southern NSW sacked their barman, Steven Kane, for wearing a respirator while working behind the bar. Steven is a man of principle and after futile approaches to club management not to re-introduce smoking into his workplace he finally took unilateral action to protect his health. He considered that he had a duty to his wife and 3 children to avoid inhaling toxic cigarette smoke which could reduce his ability to support them and ultimately it could kill him as it has done to many others. The respirator was uncomfortable and made communication difficult but it was clearly the only logical action open to him to protect his health if he continued to work in that smokey environment. He had been in the job for 14 years and did not see why he should be forced out of it to protect his health when every other worker in the state is guaranteed a safe smoke-free workplace.

Steve Kane ready for work behind the Bar

Eighteen Months of Clean Air
Moama Bowling Club did the right thing by its staff and went smoke-free 18 months ago. However due to a fall in gambling profits they re-introduced smoking in January 2003. Steven gave up smoking 13 years ago and felt that his health improved during the club's smoke-free period. Naturally he was disappointed at its re-introduction and decided to take action to protect himself.

Wide TV Exposure
The Channel Seven Today Tonight program aired the dispute between Steven and the Club Manager, Mr Phillip Johnson, on 16 March 2003. Mr Johnson said the club complied with "all the regulations" and that they were only required to restrict smoking within two metres of the Bar. This smoke-free zone is defined by a red line on the carpet that everyone knows will stop the smoke! Steven made the very good point that if politicians could completely ban smoking in their workplace he saw no reason why they should not ban it completely in his workplace. Why should hospitality workers be treated as if occupational health laws don't apply to them?

Smokers "Insulted"
The manager said they had to sack Steven because smokers were "insulted" by him wearing a mask while he was serving them. This is the state of farce that has now developed in the hospitality industry. The Union led by the logical Tim Ferrari argue that the workers' rights to a healthy workplace are paramount and can't be traded off just to suit the sensitivities of smokers. The Club and Hotel industry led by the profit driven John Thorpe, who owns a Sydney Hotel, try to deflect the argument into that disaster scenario where the clubs and hotels go bankrupt and everyone loses their jobs because they depend absolutely on smokers' patronage.

Same Old Furphy
This is the same old furphy they always trot out. Remember when they said in the 1970's that TV and radio stations would go broke if they couldn't advertise cigarettes. Remember when they said the sport of cricket would collapse if the Rothman's Sports Foundation was stopped from cultivating and sponsoring our schoolboy cricketers? Remember when Johnny Quayle and his mates said Rugby league could not survive without the largesse handed out by the great Winfield cigarettes sponsor, who was not advertising through TV coverage anyway. They were just showing what good corporate citizens they were. It makes us furious to see that in the year 2003 our politicians are influenced by this rubbish and are so cowardly that they will not act to protect the health of these hospitality workers.

Incurring Liability
Anne Jones of Action on Smoking & Health (ASH) went on the program to warn that with every day that the industry delays the inevitable banning of smoking in these venues these proprietors are increasing their legal liability to pay big damages to future litigants. The John Thorpes of this world are prepared to tough it out with delaying tactics because they can see how the cigarette companies have used delay and deception to time-shift their disasters into future years. The chickens are coming home to roost with some recent litigation in the USA but when you look at the countless thousands of victims who have died without receiving one cent of compensation, it has to be said that the tobacco industry led by such shrewd minds as The Hon. Nicholas Greiner A. C., are out-smarting our sluggish pollies by a mile.

Two Metre Magic Line
Twenty five years ago we were fighting the stupidity of authorities who said that one end of a bus can be smoking and the other end will be smoke-free. They also said one row of seats in an aircraft can be smoking while the one behind it will be smoke-free. These proponents of the magic line system are the same idiots who now say you can draw a red line on the carpet two metres from a bar or counter and the smoke will not cross it! Of course the tobacco industry is behind these people prodding them to make such absurd proposals as the necessary strategy to maintain their gambling and drinking profits. To hell with the health of the workers making the money for them!

Magic red line on carpet stops smoke 2 metres from the Bar

Industrial Relations Commission Action
Steven contacted NSMA and we assured him that he was doing a great service for many other hospitality workers and he was to be congratulated on his stand. We offered help and encouragement to keep up the fight. However his LHMW Union has strongly supported him in taking the issue before the Industrial Relations Commission as the first step. They are demanding re-instatement or they will proceed with an action for wrongful dismissal. The case was heard on the 9 May 2003 but at the time of going to press the result has not been disclosed.

Reviews of State Legislation
Reviews of smoke-free public places legislation are underway in most jurisdictions including South Australia, ACT, Tasmania and Western Australia. The SA report is the first to propose a sunset date for all pubs and clubs to be smoke-free, by no later than March 2005. Queensland's review is due October 2003 and Northern Territory in January 2004. Currently NSW has ended up with partial bans only, including a non-smoking buffer zone around counters to be in place by July 2003 and the provision of a smoke-free area of equal amenity if one or more bars exist by July 2004. However NSW should be reviewed again by December 2003.

Other Action Against Hotels And Clubs

Husskinson RSL Suspends Non Smoker
One of our Lawyer members has challenged this club's action in suspending a member who complained about the smoking problem in their poker machine area. He has written to them as follows: "As you are probably aware passive smoking is responsible directly for the deaths of many people around the world each year. It is a known health risk and one that you are subjecting your staff and members to on a daily basis.

Section 8 (1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 prohibits the management of any organisation subjecting an employee to a known health risk and section 8(2) covers members such as Mr A, and other visitors, who also must not be exposed to risks to their health or safety when visiting the company's, or in your case, the club's premises." The club have simply replied that they are complying with all current regulations in the same glib way that Moama Club are pretending that the 2 metre smoke-free zone and some voluntary restrictions are the applicable law. In fact these are only concessions negotiated with the NSW Governments' Taskforce, which strangely left out representatives of responsible anti-smoking groups. Such negotiated agreements are not the applicable law. The occupational health law is clearly being breached by such a soft "voluntary agreement" but both the clubs and the Government choose to ignore it as long as possible.

Prosecution Urgently Needed
This organisation is determined to force a prosecution to test the occupational health laws and show that the voluntary agreement approach is no longer tenable. Our hard working committee member, Margaret Hogge, started this process with a week of action beginning on St Patrick's Day, 17 March 2003. Firstly she wrote to all the "Irish" Hotels in Sydney asking them to implement smoking restrictions on St Patrick's Day in sympathy with the good news that Ireland has now introduced wider restrictions on public smoking. We followed this up with protest banners displayed outside NSW Parliament House for the next three days, 18, 19, 20 March demanding "smoke-free in 03"

The big message to politicians displayed outside NSW Parliament House for three days.

Finally on Friday 21 March we conducted a non-drinking "pub crawl" around some Sydney Hotels. We stopped outside each one for ten minutes or so displaying the banners and enlisting support from patrons for more smoke-free accommodation in hotels. The response was disappointing and it is clear that more determined action is needed. One of our members has now taken advice as a first step to prosecuting a Sydney hotel over a recent episode of enforced exposure to passive smoking damage. We will keep you posted.

Caringbah RSL Over-Extended
There has been a lot of publicity about this club "having to" re-introduce smoking to its poker machine areas because it is trading unprofitably since it borrowed $3 million and built a new club which started out totally smoke-free. Hence clean air for ordinary people is traded off against the drug taking habits of addicted gamblers. Other analysis has suggested that the real reason for losses is that the club over-extended itself with debt. Members should vote out the bad managers rather than sacrifice the hard won clean air facilities. This issue begs the question as to the proper role of clubs in modern society. Are they simply mini casinos primarily catering to the needs of addicted gamblers and smokers, or are they respected social institutions meeting the recreational needs of ordinary non-smoking members of the community? Non-Smokers should vote with their feet and resign in protest from any club which re-introduces smoking to areas where bans have been in force. We will see if we can stimulate some of these "resignations" in protest over the coming months.

Level Playing Field Needed
The real problem is that the Government will not act decisively to bring in total bans to gambling areas and thus create a level playing field for all hotels and clubs competing to make a profit out of smoking gamblers. Without a level playing field, gamblers can choose to go to venues that still permit smoking; and some managers are putting concerns over poker machine profits ahead of the rights of all staff to work in a smoke-free workplace. It should be noted that there is clear evidence that smoking bans in gambling venues will not only improve health outcomes for staff and patrons generally, but also specifically for gamblers by reducing the time they spend gambling. It should be a win-win decision for government but they are still succumbing to political pressure from Nick Greiner and his mates in the big end of town. What other explanation is there?

South Australia May Ban Smoking At Pokies
The South Australian State Government Taskforce is the first one to come up with a proposed total ban on smoking in all hospitality venues (all pubs, clubs & casinos) commencing from 1 March 2005. The Taskforce invites submissions on the proposal, preferably before 30 may 2003 and of course NSMA will make a strong submission. Individuals can make a submission to their website below and we urge all members to put in even a few words endorsing and expediting the proposal. Obviously there will be the usual strong opposition from the Australian Hotels Association and other vested interests but it is encouraging to see a government-sponsored body come up with a really strong proposal. One of their other strong recommendations is that smoking in alfresco (outside) dining areas be restricted to no more than 50% of the available space instead of the 100% at present. With strong MP's like Nick Xenophon inside Parliament and active health campaigners like Dr Andrew Ellerman and his team working outside; this initiative might produce the first breakthrough that can then flow on to other states.

New Smoke-free Pub In Sydney
To finish the Pubs & Clubs segment on a happier note we are pleased to report that Anne Jones of ASH advises anyone looking for a smoke-free drink or coffee in Sydney to go to the famous Tilbury Hotel in Woolloomooloo (Nicholson Street). It has been refurbished and is now very classy and very smoke-free with tables outside for smokers. Please pass the word around, as it is only five minutes away from the city. When such a well-known hotel takes the initiative to go smoke-free we should advertise the fact. If you go there, make sure you congratulate them on their leadership, as they deserve good feedback.

BAT Deceives Uni Students

A final year law student at the University of NSW was disgusted to see the website propaganda dished out to entice graduates to take jobs with British American Tobacco (BAT) this year. BAT set up a stall at the Universities Careers Day on 8 April 2003 where they made a strong pitch to recruit unsuspecting graduates. No heavy overkill with BAT emblazoned everywhere, rather a nameless display of children's creative talents to draw the students in. Their theme was " WE CHALLENGE YOU TO CREATE A MASTERPIECE". This was the title of their 10 page handout booklet featuring 10 smiling faces of attractive young people presented as "employees" saying great things about their company. Stephen, the typical operations graduate, says "I have responsibility and accountability from day one". Belinda, the typical marketing graduate, says "you drive your own development" etc., etc.,

Our Members warn University Graduates about British American Tobacco deception.

NSMA Sets The Record Straight
The group of volunteer members of NSMA shown in the photo set up an opposing presence outside the entrance to the careers hall where we were able to hand out leaflets to as many new graduates as possible. Our leaflets were a direct spoof on the wording of the leaflets which BAT issued to students.

Ours read: We challenge you to create our new world full of ill health, misery and death. Here is a chance for you to join our team at British American Tobacco - a clear leader in the competitive and dynamic business of killing people of all nationalities. We are multinational, multi-cultural and multi-disciplined; we are a world-class group of tobacco companies that creates an inspiring learning culture of lies and deception. This enables the business and its people to grow and drive profits higher. British American Tobacco employs only 1300 people in Australia and yet this team is a market leader in its contribution to the 19,000 Australians killed each year from smoking our products. On the world scene we employ 90,000 people in over 50 countries so our contribution there is really fantastic. (There was more but that will suffice here)

It was also appropriate to tell law students about the indecent current action by BAT Australia to pursue the children of the recently deceased Rolah McCabe in order to make them pay BAT's legal costs for that unfortunate case which was lost on appeal (See Update 42). Other University activists protested against the ethics of some big businesses (Forestry & Banks) with a banner draped from the roof of the building saying "Leave your consciences at the door". This would certainly apply to any graduate considering taking a job with a tobacco company.

BAT Donates To Pollies
BAT buys friends in high places and has no scruples about manipulating university students. It is disgraceful that the major political parties still accept donations from tobacco companies, despite banning their sponsorship of other events. The Australian Electoral Commission has revealed that the major political parties in NSW alone received more than $120,000 in sponsorship from British American Tobacco and Philip Morris. More than $100,000 of that was donated to the State Coalition, with just under $20,000 given to the ALP. It is hypocritical for politicians to ban tobacco advertising and sponsorship while accepting money from those same companies. At least the Democrats have shown some principle by refusing to accept such donations.

BAT Funds Litter Program
BAT also try to influence the shallow thinkers by funding a clean up the cigarette butts campaign. It is typical of how they try to snow the community into thinking they play a legitimate role in society.

BAT Issues "Inaugural Social Report"
The Hon. Nick Greiner A.C. has just issued a 148 page report with the above title extolling the virtues of British American Tobacco (BAT). His covering letter states, "As a manufacturer of a product which poses real and serious health risks we remain the subject of intense focus and criticism. For this reason alone, we believe that it is important that we find ways to better align ourselves with the ever changing social demands. Some, of course, will contend that a tobacco company being socially responsible is a contradiction in terms. We would suggest, however, that because of the controversy around our business there is a compelling reason for us to operate in a transparent matter, embracing the social reporting process."

What he is trying to say is, "although I get paid to do a job which kills 19,000 Australians every year I want society to accept that it is not really my fault. You should consider me and my company to be socially responsible." When you see what they did to the McCabe family it is enough to make you throw up!

Smoking Neighbours - Test case difficulties
Earlier Updates reported on the Hollis, Forest and Fraser cases. We now have more than twenty examples of this problem where peoples' homes are invaded by their neighbours' smoke pollution. It is a disgusting abrogation of non-smokers' rights and we are determined to run a test case on the subject. We have expended considerable money this year getting professional advice on ways the tenancy and Strata Title laws can be applied successfully to the problem. It is not easy going and we are disappointed to report that one case we were supporting, and which was scheduled to go to a Tenancy Tribunal Hearing in June 2003, will not proceed because our professional advice is that we are unlikely to win because of specific defects in this case. We have decided to wait for the "right" case and we will certainly go all out to win it. Meanwhile we will concentrate on lobbying all the members of the "new" NSW Parliament to pursue amendments to the law to make such pioneering legal test cases unnecessary.

NSMA At 2nd National Tobacco Conference

As reported in the last Update our Committee Member Margaret Hogge attended this conference in Melbourne from 9 to 11 April 2003. We express our thanks to Margaret who attended on our behalf but mostly at her own expense. She has filed this report.

The Conference was organised by VicHealth and attracted about 370 delegates from Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tonga, UK and USA, mostly from health and research groups. NSMA was the only privately funded volunteer organisation represented. The VicHealth Centre for Tobacco Control published and presented a major document, compiled by its Co-Director, Michelle Scollo, for consideration by Australian governments and political parties "Tobacco Control A Blue chip Investment in Public Health". This booklet presents detailed arguments for tobacco control, with strong supporting research.

Example(s 3.5) What are the best bets for reducing tobacco use? There are three which are virtually cost-free for government: cigarette price increases, workplace smoking restrictions, and advertising bans. All three are straightforward to apply across the whole population and are highly effective in reducing population smoking."

Our Contribution
Margaret Hogge, representing NSMA , addressed a group of about 100 delegates at the session titled Smoke-free Advocacy. She presented our current work in "Continuing the Clean Air Revolution," outlining our history and our current campaigns in the three main areas of:-

1. Prevention of Smoke invasion from Neighbours. 2. Smoke-free Pubs and Clubs. 3. Smoke-free Waiting Areas for Public Transport

This received enthusiastic support from all delegates except maybe the two lawyers from the tobacco industry who were present. The conference was of great value to the Non-Smokers' Movement. It gave a further opportunity to link up with representatives from all areas of tobacco control and to publicise our Movement with them. Every session gave an opportunity to ask questions and to give information and spread our name. Margaret attended all available sessions, including those given by some of our partners in the Smoke-free Pubs and Clubs '03 Coalition, including Anne Jones and Stafford Sanders (ASH Aust.). The conference dinner on the evening of 10th April was hosted by Tobacco Control "guru" Steve Woodward and was addressed by lawyer Peter Gordon, from Slater & Gordon who represented the McCabe family in that significant case.

Margaret Hogge presented a talk about NSMA campaigns to National Tobacco Conference

Good Strategies
Di Rayson, Senior Policy Officer, NT Health & Community services gave some valuable advice about effective campaigning. They have won dramatic tobacco control measures recently in Northern Territory by following the right strategies. She suggests that, when meeting with decision-makers, we should be ready to make a clear case, keep it brief, have definite target actions in mind, make research accessible and simple, with links to more information if needed. Margaret was impressed by the hard work of all the participants. However she observed that it is disturbing and frustrating to realise that, with so much information available to our governments and the community about the dangers of tobacco, it should not be necessary to spend so much time and money on such a conference in the year 2003.

Outdoor Smoking Bans

Push For NSW Councils To Act
NSMA has been battling with several councils in the western suburbs to ban smoking around their sporting complexes particularly around tennis courts and such concentrated small-scale venues. We have also continued to write to Sydney City Council regarding the need to ban street smoking on busy congested city footpaths. Our Secretary, Denny Mountford has welcomed the new ladies team at city hall (Mayor & Deputy Mayor) and asked them to take some new initiatives on smoke pollution in our streets. They are, no doubt, the first steps in the journey of a thousand miles. However it is great to see some encouraging moves on outdoor bans in other states.

Tasmania Goes For Outdoor Bans
The Cancer Council of Tasmania wants all councils to ban smoking at outdoor sports venues. It follows the decision to make viewing areas at York Park smoke free. York Park in Tasmania is the only ground where AFL is played and where smoking has been allowed in the stadium. As of April 6, 2003 York Park will go smoke-free. Robin Kendrick said it was not a difficult decision to make York Park smoke-free. She said people will be able to go outside to have a cigarette but they will not be able to smoke standing or sitting while they are actually viewing the game inside the grounds.

Qld Govt Bans Some Outdoor Smoking.
The Qld Govt has announced it is extending its whole of Govt 1989 policy on smoke-free State Govt buildings and vehicles to cover entrances, exits, balconies and basements of state govt buildings. This announcement comes after ongoing joint lobbying from Non Government Organisations (NGO's) led by Paul Turner of the Queensland Cancer Fund. Premier Beattie said; "I want to make sure we are doing everything we can to send a message that smoking is not just anti-social and severely damaging to health but is a killer".

Lets hope that all other states take similar action on the disgraceful pollution surrounding the entrances and exits to most city buildings Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) Smoke-free The Victorian State Government will stop any moves to relax smoking bans at the MCG. The Melbourne Cricket Club is considering allowing smokers to light up in parts of the Northern Stand. The government says it is prepared to legislate to keep the ground smoke free, and Vic Health has threatened to sue the MCC if it goes ahead because they are a paying for anti-smoking signage at the grounds under binding contracts.

Designated Outdoor Areas
NSMA continues to raise discussion of the ultimate outdoor smoking objective. That is, smoking should only be permitted in designated outdoor areas. This is a principle adopted at major events such as the Olympic Games and it should become the norm everywhere. Going for a smoke should be like going to the toilet; you remove yourself from the company of others and go to a designated pollution area where everyone else knows to keep clear to protect their own health. It is good to hear the designated outdoor areas proposal being put forward on talkback radio in Sydney.

NGO Tobacco Coalition Meeting
An important meeting of Non Government anti-smoking organisations (NGO's) was convened by the NSW Cancer council on 11 March 2003. Brian McBride & Margaret Hogge attended on behalf of NSMA and we expressed our wholehearted support for a more co-operative approach on common issues. More progress should be made if we support each other even though we all may have different primary goals relating to our specific organisations.

Some of the Coalition Group at first meeting Back: Stafford Sanders, Greg Soulos, Margaret Tanner, Margaret Duckett, Dianne Russell, Brian McBride Front: Jeannie McKenzie, Anne Jones,Margaret Hogge, Andrew Penman.

Other organisations included the Cancer Council of NSW, ASH Australia, Heart Foundation, Asthma NSW, and Diabetes Australia.

There was much discussion about the need for NSW Government to allocate more funding to urgently needed programs in line with announcements of general increases during the recent election campaign. A wide range of program objectives was reviewed and NSMA undertook from our limited resources to contribute in the following areas: Eliminate smoking in pubs and clubs. Pursue other smoke free environments, Flats, Villas & Units. Enforcement of existing bans, railways & transport. Smoking bans in outdoor areas. Amendments to the NSW Smoke Free Environment Act 2000 are due six months after the next phase of voluntary restrictions in clubs & pubs is due in July 2003. The focus from then on must be on advocating more legislative changes and strengthening enforcement provisions.

We must continue to expose the contradictions and non-compliance with the NSW Occupational Health Act 2000 as distinct from the Smoke Free Environment Act 2000. All agreed we must communicate more regularly and reinforce each other's activities with coordinated press releases. There is great scope for better communication and multiplying efforts through our respective memberships via newsletters, emails etc.

World No Tobacco Day 31 May 2003
NSMA will again push the pubs & clubs issue with a tour of Sydney city hotels on this day. We will try to get staff to stand up and be counted like Steven Kane did regarding his workplace. We will urge them not to be complacent any longer. The threat to them and their families is very real and they are negligent if they won't act now. If we can succeed in getting a few more Steven Kane cases running the Government must surely cave in and act decisively on this issue.

Cigarette Litter Still a Big Problem

In spite of many agencies now pointing out the problem of cigarette litter a lot remains to be done as shown by the following items.

Beach Cleaning In Qld
Maroochy shire beaches are now cleaner and safer with the new cleaning machine worth $100,000; it even picks up cigarette butts and syringes.

Disposal Compartments For Cigs
In beautiful Byron Bay in northern NSW Bill Snow is distributing old film canisters at local cafes to put cigarette butts in. This will help to keep the beaches cleaner. We still need to lobby for the government to force tobacco companies to provide a disposal compartment as part of the packet. This will make them pick up some of the cost of disposal.

Geelong Provides Bins
Smokers can pick up free ashtrays from Geelong City Council (Victoria) and they will be fined $200 if caught butting out anywhere but in bin. If they are taken to court the maximum fine is $4000 so perhaps they will start to take the problem seriously.

ANOTHER SALVO ON RAILWAYS

NSMA have been battling the smoking problem on railways for the last twenty five years, as regular readers will know. However, when the new Transport Minister in NSW said "tell me what the problems are I want to fix them", our battle scarred veteran committee member, Andrew Dickinson, took up the fight again with one more letter. Here is part of Andrew's letter that he also linked to a previously detailed submission to the NSW Ombudsman Office as a complaint about State & City Rail staff not enforcing existing regulations.

(To The Minister for Transport Services)
Dear Mr Costa
Smoking at train stations is an issue that needs much more attention. Every day, thousands of commuters and hundreds of staff smoke in clear violation of the non-smoking regulations in and around Sydney train stations. Despite overwhelming public support for these smoking bans, Cityrail takes almost no action to stop these miscreants. The advent of Transit Guards, beginning last October 2002, was a step in the right direction. It is good to finally see commuters who choose to smoke in prohibited areas being fined. But the numbers tell the sad story. There are a few hundred Transit Guards who are spread out to cover more than 200 stations in Sydney. The best they can do is cover a few stations for a half hour or so, and not even every day. The addition of a few hundred police and another few hundred Revenue Protection Officers (who steadfastly refuse to enforce the non-smoking regulations) do little to improve the situation.

So, we have a situation where a few stations have a body of men and women who can and do enforce, for a half hour or so, perhaps for a couple of days each week. What about the rest of the day, when the Guards are not around ? Who can we, the long-suffering commuting public, turn to ? The people who are always there are the Cityrail front line staff. These people need to become involved in solving this ongoing issue which, despite Cityrail's best efforts at ignorance, simply will not go away.

There are far more frontline staff than there are Transit Guards. The vast majority of them show no inclination at all to stop people from smoking in prohibited areas. Yes, there are well-known reasons for this situation. But it is up to you, Minister, to confront and solve this impasse, and not simply use it as an excuse to do nothing, which is exactly what Cityrail Management has been doing for years. Yours Faithfully Andrew Dickinson , Committee Member NSMA

Committee member Andrew Dickinson keeps pressure on new Transport Minister Michael Costa.

Andrew's previous 50 page submission to the NSW Ombudsman can be seen at: CityRail and the Stations of Shame - http://www.nsma.org.au/cityrail.htm

Apology To Mayfair Food Court
Update No. 29 in September 1999 carried an article about the unsatisfactory smoke pollution and the lack of attention to the problem by the owners of this food court in Parramatta. The reference to the "Indian Owners" is claimed to be incorrect and we have been asked to retract it. We do so and apologise for this error. (Ed: Update 29 has been changed.)

Historic FCTC Resolution
In Geneva, delegates to the World Health Organisation (WHO) have agreed on the wording of the first-ever international anti-smoking treaty. After long and often acrimonious negotiations, representatives of more than 170 countries finally agreed on the framework convention on tobacco control, which will impose a range of restrictions including the advertising and marketing of tobacco. The WHO is hailing the agreement as a groundbreaking moment for public health. Australian delegates have asked all the health lobby groups to lobby the Australian Health Minister, Kay Patterson, to ensure we fully support it and don't let some European interests side track the resolution. Some indications are that Germany is trying to derail it. NSMA have sent strong representations to both the Health Minister and the Prime Minister pointing out that Australia will be hypocritical if it supports this historic resolution while the PM's own Liberal Party still accepts tobacco company sponsorship for its annual conferences!

Leave a Bequest to NSMA in Your Will.
Please think about this to keep the good work going into the future Democrats Push For Ban In Cars Canberra residents are being asked to ban smoking in cars in which children are passengers. Roslyn Dundas, Australian Democrats MLA is calling for community comment. The Chief Minister says that it will listen to community views on the matter. In NSW the Democrats welcomed the government's Alcohol Summit to be held later this year, but now challenge the government to consider the same Summit approach for tobacco. Arthur Chesterfield Evans, Upper-House MP said the government continues to sit on its hands over effective tobacco control measures.

WA Doctor Appeals To Smokers
One of Western Australia's leading cardio-thoracic surgeons will take his appeal for smokers to quit directly to the streets of Perth. Mr Mark Newman and his surgical team, who operate on lung cancer patients, will appear on- Make Smoking History- billboards around Perth with the caption "We get through 16 smokers a day, but we want to cut down".

Cigarettes Are Out Of Fashion Week -But Smokers are On Magazine Covers
The Mercedes Fashion Week and the gala opening was held in May 2003 with about 400 guests at the Sydney Opera House. Kit Willow discussed her lingerie range and Alex Perry said he loves designing for glamorous, beautiful women. However the real news was Director, Simon Lock, saying he is working with the Department of Health to take smoking images out of fashion. After all the previous disgusting displays of beautiful models smoking cigars they have finally woken up to what the public will accept as reasonable behaviour.

However the bad news is that we are seeing models smoking on the front pages of Australian magazines: Oyster (April/May 03) and The Big Issue (14-29 April 03). The Oyster fashion magazine shows a glamorous women smoking with a packet of Camel in the ashtray; The Big Issue, which is a very popular street magazine, features handsome Irish actor "Colin Farrell He's smokin' ". ASH Australia has passed both of these complaints on to the Commonwealth as breaches of the Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act (TAP) but will also use them in the case for tougher advertising restrictions and penalties. Please let ASH know of any other examples that you may notice.

France Finally Moves on Smoking Bans
French President, Jacques Chirac, declared "war on tobacco" in March 2003 while launching a nationwide campaign to battle cancer. In a nation where clouds of cigarette smoke choke cafes and restaurants and smokers routinely ignore "no smoking" signs, Chirac said he is concerned that 30,000 cancer deaths each year are caused by smoking. In addition, the number of cancer cases has nearly doubled in France over the past decade, Chirac said. "If no action is taken, tobacco could kill twice as many people within 20 years. We must dissuade young people from starting to smoke and convince adults to give up." Chirac's smoke-free drive is the centrepiece of a campaign that will see the government spend half a billion euros (US$532 million) over the next five years on preventing, identifying and treating all types of cancer.

Chirac vowed to combat "efforts by tobacco companies to make products that endanger lives appear more attractive" and strengthen anti-smoking publicity campaigns. Chirac also said he wants to see a 1992 smoke-free workplace law strictly enforced. The law forbids smoking in all enclosed, covered and collective public spaces, though smoking areas can be designated.

We Have to Move

Our Heritage Building Office

The heritage listed 1890's Trades Hall Building which has been home to us for the last 18 years is about to be renovated and modernised. We won't be able to afford the new increased rental so we have to find another office. We would appreciate any information on a low rental office space within reasonable distance of Sydney Central if it comes to your notice.

The Non-Smokers' Update is the quarterly newsletter published for members of the Non-Smokers' Movement of Australia Inc.. Contributions or comments should be forwarded to the editor, Brian McBride, at the address shown on the front cover.